


Paranoia

by FireStorm1991



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: F/M, Romance, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:03:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 31
Words: 105,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27634510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireStorm1991/pseuds/FireStorm1991
Summary: When Vegeta and Kakarot are sent to Earth to eradicate all life, they are met with an already purged planet and one survivor, a young girl who seems traumatized by recent events. Deciding to return home, they bring the girl and learn of a new enemy as well as facing their tyrannous king.Original FFN Post Date: February 16, 2012
Relationships: Bulma Briefs/Vegeta, Kakarot/Chi-Chi
Comments: 14
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters.
> 
> This story started out as a fleeting idea I had while driving years ago coming home from some class in college. The title came from a TV show my mother and I used to watch that has been off air for a while. It's been a long time since then and I never imagined it would be as popular as it is.

“Paranoia: the irrational fear that someone’s after you.” - Desperate Housewives

* * *

“So, how long until landfall, Vegeta?”

The one voicing the question was met with a cold stare by a flame-haired man. He crossed his arms, replying to his subordinate. “Kakarot, shut up,” Vegeta growled. “I thought we already discussed that when on missions and around others you call me by my title.”

The palm tree-haired man rubbed the back of his head, almost nervously as he said, “Yeah, but well…it’s weird.”

Vegeta's scowl never faltered as he rolled his eyes. He too found it weird, seeing as he and Kakarot had been best friends since childhood; however, with his father being the king and his friend's family being “below” them, he had to draw the line somewhere between business and friendship. “Suck it up and do it, Kakarot. I don’t want to risk my father finding out I have given you any special treatment.”

Kakarot sighed in defeat. “Yeah, okay.”

“Landfall in twenty,” a computerized voice said. “Be seated and fastened for landing.”

“I guess that answers your question,” Vegeta scoffed irritably. Kakarot nodded numbly, not looking forward to what they were about to do.

* * *

After landing, Vegeta and Kakarot, both adorned in colored spandex (Vegeta in royal blue and Kakarot in deep red and black) and pale white armor, exited their space pods and looked around. They landed in the middle of an abandoned city. Their eyes widened at the sight the befell them. Shock took over their entire being.

“Wow, looks like a bomb went off here,” Kakarot stated in awe of their surroundings. Vegeta ignored him and started to walk into the dismal looking wreck in front of them.

It was…bad, desolate, decrepit, and everything in between. Kakarot was right; it did look like a bomb went off. Worse than that, even. The landscape in front of them was completely annihilated. If Vegeta was easy to scare, then the random bangs and noises from broken wires and crumbling buildings would have made him jump out of his own skin, but he wasn’t easy to scare. He had seen much worse, caused much worse, in his lifetime. Nothing about this total destruction worried him.

It was when he flew around the city and a few of the neighboring cities that he felt uneasy.

“Vegeta…I mean Prince Vegeta, I just checked all the cities south of here and there is no sign of life…not even any animals,” Kakarot's voice rang out through his earpiece.

Vegeta nodded at his analysis. “Same, in the northern parts…someone or something has already eradicated all life on this planet.”

“But who or what, and how?”

Vegeta and Kakarot were stumped. Earth was uncharted territory. It was a fluke that Kakarot’s father had even seen in the latest scans. The fact that someone had beaten them to the planet did not sit well with them. Who else could have known of the mudball's existence? There had to be some way to find out. Whoever it was might have just messed with the wrong race.

“Something is off,” Vegeta stated. “I’m going to go look around here some more. Find food and we will reconvene at the ship.”

“Yes, sir,” Kakarot said reluctantly through the communication device. _It’s official,_ he thought. _Titles suck._

* * *

Vegeta checked out some of the abandoned buildings and noticed that some of the technology was similar to Planet Vegeta’s, their home, which he was not expecting. Not many races were on the same level as theirs. Of course, even their race would not have been as advanced as they were had they not had the influence of their former allies. Vegeta shook himself free of the treacherous thoughts of his mind before they took root. He had a job to do, or more figure out who had stolen the job from them. 

He began to observe what was left of the broken technology, hoping to find answers. Of course, most of the technology was destroyed. Whatever had happened must have taken a huge toll of the circuitry and also the population. Surprisingly, there weren’t even any remains or bodies. Whoever had purged the planet had done it with complete accuracy, leaving no trace of the former inhabitants. All Vegeta could gather from their signs and billboards was that at least one of the species was humanoid, such as his own race. It started to make more sense that the race would have similar technologies.

 _Someone has already purged the planet, but who?_ Vegeta asked himself. He was of course met with no answer. His search was proving to be fruitless. Angered by this, Vegeta stormed back out into the fallen city. As he left the building, he noticed a large dome in the center of the city and was highly intrigued. It looked like it was the most durable building, evident by the fact that it was still intact with little damage; there were plenty of defense systems outside, thought they had been activated and then crushed. With so much defense, there must have been something very important inside, though what was so important about this building? Vegeta couldn't tell, at least not from the outside.

The door of the building fell when Vegeta lightly pushed it. He was a little taken aback, but entered anyway. The building had a lot of electronic equipment and looked to be a place where weapons and battle vehicles were constructed. Vegeta’s attention was drawn to the cut, dangling wires as they mixed with water. He knew that he’d better stay away from them. Electrical shock treatments were the Saiyans’ way of torture, after all, he mentally noted.

Vegeta continued to check out the building and found a series of rooms up the stairs. There were as many rooms as was in the king’s summer home. _Whoever had lived here must have been very wealthy,_ he thought as he slowly ascended the stairs and walked passed the closed doors.

All of a sudden, Vegeta had the strangest feeling and turned to his right. He was facing a door that was partially opened, unlike all of the other doors. That alone was enough to tell him something was off. With a small shove, the door revealed a tattered room that used to be very well put together. That wasn’t the shocking part. What shocked the prince the most was that there was a girl, lying on the ground, naked next to tattered clothes, and she wasn’t responding at all to his presence.

The girl looked young, though her youth was somewhat conceal due to the blood caked on her. She was sitting, holding her knees with her arms and staring at a spot on the floor. The girl looked as if she hadn’t moved for a while, nor had she eaten as was evident by how thin she was. Vegeta walked up to her and stood over her with his arms crossed. The girl still didn’t react, almost as if she was in a catatonic state from trauma.

“Girl,” Vegeta called, but he received no response which greatly angered him. Vegeta picked the girl up by the throat, but she just let her limbs dangle, still staring out in front of her. She had no fear in her eyes, no hate, no anything. This girl had no emotion reflecting in her eyes. If Vegeta hadn’t felt her pulse under his grip, then he would have mistaken her to be among the dead. He let go, letting her drop and crash into the floor.

She was now in a position where she was lying flat on her face, almost as if he had just dropped a rag doll. Vegeta raised a confused eyebrow at the girl. He had never seen anyone so lifeless, surprisingly since he had already decimated his share of races. Something about this girl was tugging at his non-existing heartstrings, though, and he looked around to find something to cover her up. It was obvious by now that she was the last of her race, and he wasn’t planning on leaving her, not when she could have the information he needed. His father would not be pleased simply to know that someone had found the planet before they did. He would want to know who their next enemy.

Thinking of his father, Vegeta grimaced. His father was always pushing him to get a ‘concubine’ from one of these purges, though the idea never sat well with him. This had always disgusted Vegeta, and everyone who knew him knew that. He could never subject someone to that fate, not really. If he brought the girl back, regardless of the information they could gather, he'd probably have to declare her as his property. If not, she would either end up in the dungeons until becoming responsive, or his father would damage her beyond repair, possibly killing her.

No one should die when they were already dead on the inside, and no one should suffer the mental abuse she must have already received.

All the clothes the girl had available were either short or tattered and would not protect her from the cold and arid environment outside. He settled for a knit blanket that was at the top of the closet and brought it over to the girl. He carefully wrapped the broken girl up in the blanket, trying to be careful with her. She finally had some emotion in her eyes along with some tears. Vegeta was almost too stunned to move as she finally spoke.

“Ma…ma…” she said while grasping on to the blanket. _That must have been who knitted the blanket,_ Vegeta concluded. _Not that it matters now._

“What happened here, girl?” Vegeta asked softly, unusual for him seeing as he did not want to scare her back into submission. The girl shook her head and clenched her eyes shut. Vegeta sighed knowing he wouldn’t get an answer right away, but it didn’t matter. What did matter was getting the girl something to eat and drink or he would never have his answer. “You’re coming with me,” he whispered in her ear.

The girl nodded indicating that she understood or at least heard him. Vegeta took that as a sign to blast through her roof and fly back to the ship. Causing more damage to the broken building didn't even matter anymore.

* * *

“Hey Veg…I mean Prince Vegeta…dang it,” Kakarot muttered. Then he noticed the girl Vegeta was carrying. He stared at his friend blankly. “Who’s she?”

“The only survivor,” Vegeta replied. “She’s not very responsive.”

“Why did you bring her?” Kakarot asked. Vegeta usually didn’t bring a living being anywhere, unless you would count Kakarot in that.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at his friend. It was wrong for his subordinate to question him, not that he cared when they were in private. “She knows something of what happened, I’m sure, and we need answers,” he answered with authority. “Besides, my father wanted me to find myself a pleasure slave sometime. You must admit that she’s attractive.”

He wouldn't have said it had his father not been listening in through their earpieces. To him, the words were just something to justify bringing the girl with them. Had Kakarot not asked, his answer would not have been necessary. It bothered him, though, when he noticed the girl in question tense at his words. He had already had an idea of the horrors she faced. Oh well. It was something she needed to face, so he would not apologize for stating what he did, even though he would never act on this technicality. In his mind, it was only to keep her away from his father and still getting the answers they needed. He wasn't doing it for any other reason.

“I guess,” Kakarot said hesitantly in response to Vegeta's worse. “You know I already have a mate, though, so I won’t comment on that.”

“Fair enough,” Vegeta responded. “Did you find a water source or food?”

Kakarot frowned. He had searched everywhere on the planet, even in buildings that used to be markets. Whatever food had been there, someone else had gotten to it first, or it was spoiled and inedible. “No, and Planet Vegeta is about two weeks travel.”

“Hn. We will stop at the nearest planet and restock. It should only be a day or so away. This one needs food and water.” He motioned to the still unresponsive person in his grasp.

“Well, then I guess we better leave now,” Kakarot suggested. “It’s pretty safe to say that this planet is clear.”

Vegeta nodded in agreement. “Let’s get the hell off this rock.”

* * *

Vegeta took the girl into the ship and lied her down on his bed. He still couldn't believe how she was behaving. By this point, she should have at least been a little more compliant. She was obviously reacting to his words meaning she knew he was there. It made no sense why she barely spoke, especially when he had inquired information. Though, maybe, she was avoiding answering him to get more time. Maybe she believed she'd be killed if she answered, possibly the reason she was so reluctant and reacted so strongly.

He positioned her on the bed, lying her on her back, and was surprised when she rolled to her side. She could see out the small window of his ship and a few tears escaped her. He noticed them, his brow furrowing. He had seen that look before, when prisoners were taken or slaves were taken from their home worlds. Vegeta could tell what she was thinking.

“Look, girl. Did you want to stay on this abandoned planet and starve to death?” he asked quite harshly. “If so, I would have left you to die in that house.”

The girl flashed her eyes his way and then back to the window. “Home,” she muttered.

“What was that?” Vegeta asked, although he had heard her. He thought maybe attempting to converse with her would bring her out of whatever defense she was in.

She looked back up at him, her speech very disconnected as she tried to form words. “Home. Earth. Leaving?” The sound of her voice seemed quiet and hoarse, more prominent when she voiced more words. Vegeta nodded, not really sure if he wanted to interrupt her, and the girl looked back outside. “Sad,” she said quietly as her eyes returned to the window.

It may not have been much, but Vegeta had gotten something out of her. Little did he know that eventually the things she would say would be the most intelligent and important things he could ever hear.

The ship started to shake and Vegeta moved the blanket to make sure the girl was covered. “We are about to take off,” he explained. “Stay here and do not move until I come to get you or you’ll be hurt by the pressure. Understand?”

“Yes,” the girl said as she nodded. He could tell that she really had by the sincerity in her eyes.

“Good.”

Vegeta started to walk away from her when he heard her say something else. “Bulma.”

He paused in his stride, tilting his head over his shoulder. “Excuse me?” Vegeta questioned.

“My name…Bulma.”

He froze for a moment, and then turned to face her. She had given him her name, conveyed it to him with her limited set of words for the moment. Another line of communication had been drawn. To get what he needed, he would have to keep it open. There was only one way he could do that. “Vegeta.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters.

Vegeta had been right in his deduction; the nearest planet had been about a day's travel. When the ship had landed, he planned to order Kakarot to leave the ship to get food and water, as well as something for the girl, Bulma, to wear (though for the moment, the palm tree-haired warrior was nowhere to be found). He knew bringing her to his home planet in her current state was not an option. Though the members of his race would not do anything out of turn in his presence, he was still unsure how anyone would react to him bringing back a stranger. It was usually unheard of to bring a “prisoner” back and then giving them luxuries, which is what his plans were for this girl, at least until his questions were answered. After that, he did not know what would happen to her. Prisoners of purges, depending on their skills, would sometimes end up in the dungeon or as slaves. Neither sat well with him for the broken girl. That was one of the reasons for the pretense he was bestowing on her. It was for her safety.

He decided to go check on her and found her in a deep sleep. His eyes followed the rising and falling motions of her chest as she breathed lightly, and it caused something warm to stir inside of him as he observed her weak form curl up in the blanket. Frowning, he was reminded yet again why he sent Kakarot for clothes. Despite not being able to see her form beneath the blanket, he had back at the dome-shaped building. He had not been exaggerating when he said that he found her attractive, though the fact that she had gone through what he assumed she had had left him distract. As she cringed in her sleep, Vegeta reached out to run his calloused hand through her blood-caked hair. Under all of the blood and grime, she was beautiful, gorgeous even, and he knew that he _might_ have to fight many men on the planet to keep them away from her. Vegeta smirked at the thought of confrontation. Yep, that would just be so terrible.

The girl sighed in contentment, most likely lost in a safer dream world, as he attempted to free some of the strands from the blood. There was a small smile on Bulma's face. She leaned into his hand causing him to pull away as if she had burned him. Truthfully, his own actions shocked him. He had never been so...tender, at least not to a mere stranger. Her soft sighs and snores freed him from the tumultuous train of though. At least she seemed to be calmed. Maybe whatever she was dreaming would ease the trauma that she felt.

“Hey, Vegeta,” Kakarot whispered surprising the prince where he stood. Vegeta sent him a glare, for startling him, though Kakarot had obviously not understood. “What, the mission’s over now, right?”

Vegeta thought about his words for a second and nodded his agreement. The other warrior did not need to know he had taken the prince by surprise. “What?”

“Shouldn’t one of us stay with her in case she wakes up?” Vegeta hadn't thought about that, and he realized that his subordinate had made a good point.

“Yes,” Vegeta replied. “I will stay.” He reached into his armor's breastplate, pulling out a metal card. “Here.” He threw it to Kakarot who was able to catch it with ease. “Get the girl some clothes.”

Kakarot smiled. “Sure thing, buddy.” He sped out of the ship with his usual goofy grin on his face. Vegeta couldn't help but shake his head at his friend’s childlike manner.

Vegeta tilted his head back to the unconscious girl and started to study her. If you took away the blood, her skin was ivory white bringing out the blue of her hair. She was sleeping on her left side with her left hand closed in a fist resting by her head. She had her bangs parted to her right and they stopped right above her eyes. Her lips were parted as she breathed lightly in her sleep, and Vegeta found the sound relaxing. In all honesty, he could tell she was young in the way she curled into herself as if that would give her protection.

Then all of that peace vanished as her face contorted in pain and fear. The girl began crying out weakly as she tossed and turned. She kept struggling in her sleep occasionally whispering “no” over and over again. Vegeta lightly touched her shoulder in attempts to wake her, avoiding her fist, but the girl was not all that responsive to it. Her eyes shot open and she pressed herself against the wall. Whatever she had been fighting, she was trying to get away. She looked up at Vegeta with fear in her eyes, though her eyes seemed distant, as if she were reliving a memory rather than seeing the man that saved her.

“Bulma,” Vegeta whispered.

“Stay back,” Bulma replied quietly.

Vegeta ignored her and walked closer. He expected her eyes to follow him, but they were focused on the spot where he was originally standing, which indicated that she was reliving her experience and that, for the moment, she was not in the room.

“Please don’t come any closer,” Bulma pleaded, tears streaming down her face. “No, stop. Please, don’t do this.”

She threw herself back down to the bed, screaming and crying the entire time. Vegeta would have tried to help her snap out of it, but unfortunately he didn’t know how. All he could so was let her relive it and the entire time he watched in disgust. He was not disgusted with her, but what had obviously happened in her room. Hearing her whimpers at what he could only assume was the end of the ordeal, Vegeta reminded himself that this was the reason he was opposed to rape.

Bulma finally calmed down and opened her eyes, searching her surroundings. She realized she wasn’t in her room, like she had thought. Her expression grew both frantic and curious, a strange combination after what he had just witnessed. “Where am I?” she asked out loud.

“On my ship,” Vegeta replied.

Bulma jumped and looked over to Vegeta who was standing at the edge if the bed. She looked down and gasped when she realized she was only wrapped in a blanket. She pulled the blanket tighter around her and grew fearful, staring at the stranger in front of her before she remembered the last twenty-four hours. She relaxed slightly, but still looked terrified.

“Don’t worry about your attire,” Vegeta told her. “Kakarot went to get you some clothes as well as more food and water. You look like you haven’t eaten in days.”

“Last week,” Bulma replied quietly. “They came sometime last week.”

“Who?”

“I can’t say,” Bulma answered looking down at the blanket with a blank expression. Her mind was starting to piece things together. “I think I remember you now. Vegeta right?” He nodded. “Why did you help me?”

“Didn’t you hear what I told Kakarot?” Vegeta questioned defensively.

“For information, I guess,” she admitted. “And for something else that I didn’t buy. I could tell that you weren’t saying any of that to be malicious. Those things you wore over your eyes…communication devices? Was someone listening?”

“How did you-?” Vegeta cut himself off. “Never mind. You’re certainly more coherent than you were yesterday.”

“I guess,” Bulma said while laying back down, gripping her blanket tightly. “I miss them.”

“Who?” Vegeta asked.

“My parents,” she answered. “When they came, my father did everything in his power to stop them and protect mom and me. He and I co-owned the world’s biggest engineering and weapons company, but they were too powerful.”

Vegeta looked at the young girl in shock. There was no way she could have owned and run a company like that at such a young age. It then dawned on him that he did know her true age, just that she was young. “How old are you, girl?”

“Bulma, and I am sixteen…well, maybe seventeen. I lost track of the date after I…after what happened. Depending on how many days it has been, my birthday has probably already passed.”

 _Only a year younger than me,_ Vegeta thought in silent amazement. Then he frowned. She was still a child and she had lost everything and around her birthday, too, not that he really knew what a “birth day” was. He could only assume that the race kept track of their age by some temporal component.

“I feel dirty,” Bulma mentioned pulling Vegeta out of his thoughts. Bulma looked down to her bloodied arms. “Oh…”

Vegeta walked back around to the side of the bed and held a hand out to Bulma. “I’ll take you to the washroom. Kakarot should be back with clothes by the time you are finished cleaning up.”

Bulma looked at Vegeta’s hand and hesitated. She looked back up to his face and searched for any deceit or malice and found none. She moved her hand to his slowly, but didn’t take it. Vegeta could tell that she was still debating on whether or not he was safe. He couldn’t blame her. He too was going to her planet to destroy her race. They were strangers that had but a chance meeting and now were stuck together after one of them went through something tragic.

Vegeta sighed. “I mean you no harm, Bulma,” he grumbled while looking away from her. He was letting his guard down for the moment, Bulma could tell. She didn’t know this alien, but for one to let their guard down in the presence of someone they didn’t know…well, even for her that was a difficult and challenging thing to do. She figured she’d meet him halfway in this. After all, he had rescued her, though she wasn’t stupid enough to believe that, if the situation had been different, he wasn’t dangerous. She stared at him, remaining cautious, as she placed her hand in his.

Vegeta let out a breath he hadn’t known he had been holding. He couldn’t get over how foolish that sounded. Something about this girl made him stir and he couldn’t for the life of him figure out why. “Let’s go, girl.”

Bulma’s nervous expression became one of contempt. “It’s Bulma.”

Vegeta smirked at her. He was certainly glad she was out of her catatonic state. It was so much easier to deal with her now that he could actually communicate with her. It also helped that she was so much brighter than he originally thought. He had to give credit where it was do. A young woman being so involved in a company as she had been was impressive. It was clear she had high intellect in addition to the information he needed for his father. Maybe, just maybe, she would be able to help him in a way he rarely dared to think on. Maybe she could help them take out his tyrant of a father.

Vegeta brought Bulma to the wash room and filled the bath with warm water. He took out a drying cloth for her and handed it to her. Bulma took it with slight apprehension, but took it nonetheless. “I will wait for Kakarot and bring you something to change into when he gets back. Enjoy.” Then he left her alone.

* * *

After leaving, Vegeta was thinking a few things. One, who the hell wiped out Earth’s population before them and why did they leave one survivor? Two, did they know there was a survivor? If not, what would happen if they had returned and found her like he had? Chances are she wouldn’t have survived another assault. It angered him to think that if they had shown up any later, she wouldn’t be with them now. Three, why did he care so much? It was so unlike him.

“Hey, Vegeta, I’m back,” Kakarot greeted. “So, where’s that girl?”

“Her name is Bulma,” Vegeta told him. “She’s taking a bath. Did you find clothes?”

“Uh-huh,” Kakarot said while grinning. “In this bag, here.” He handed Vegeta a paper bag.

“Thanks,” Vegeta muttered. Kakarot and his brother, Tarble, were probably the only two alive to whom he would ever express gratitude other than his mother, the queen.

“No problem. I’ll go put the food away.”

Vegeta eyed his friend and then smirked. “Don’t eat it all this time.”

Kakarot laughed and rubbed the back of his head. “Oh, I won’t. See you in a bit.”

* * *

Bulma felt like she was in heaven. Maybe she really had died and this was her reward. After scrubbing herself down with a soft cloth, she lied back in the tub and felt all of her muscles start to relax. She didn’t even hear the door open when Vegeta came in.

Vegeta smirked when he saw the peaceful expression on her face. He really didn’t think something s small as a bath would cause such a profound effect on the girl. And now that she was no longer covered in blood, she looked even more beautiful than he had thought beforehand.

After catching himself staring, Vegeta looked away and cleared his throat. That caught Bulma’s attention and she sat up quickly to cover herself with her arms. When she saw that it was Vegeta, she relaxed a little. Normally, she’d still be freaked out by some strange man being in a room with her while she was this vulnerable. Her rational mind told her that since he had already seen her at her worst when they met, this wasn’t nearly as bad.

“I brought clothes for you,” he said, still avoiding her gaze. He put the clothes down on the counter of the sink.

“Thank you,” Bulma replied.

“It’s nothing,” he told her.

“Not just for the bath or the clothes, Vegeta,” Bulma said pointedly. “I mean for everything. You didn’t have to bring me with you. You could have left me there. You didn’t even have to let me bring anything. It…it means a lot.”

Vegeta looked over to her, ignoring her nakedness. “Like I said, girl, it’s nothing.”

He turned to leave when Bulma called out, “If you say so, but I’m still grateful. Um…I’ll be out soon.”

Vegeta nodded and left the washroom, leaning the back of his head against the door. Something was up with him. He was usually calm and collected, he was usually cold and cut-throat, but add some random girl into the mix and he was falling all over himself. She was thankful? Thankful… No one had ever shown him gratitude like she had, honest, pure gratitude. For some reason, it made him feel better about himself, but he was a ruthless killer. She had to have known that he was planning to perform the same task as this other band of aliens. He didn’t need her thanks to make him feel whole, right? _What the hell is going on with me?_ he asked himself as he pushed himself off the door. Unfortunately for him, that question was left unanswered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters.

Bulma dressed herself in a long, white dress that Kakarot had picked out. It was a nice gesture, but a few things about the dress saddened Bulma. One, it looked like a wedding dress, which she would never have; and two, white was the color of purity and it was a bitter reminder that she no longer was.

She observed herself in the mirror and was amazed at what she saw. Before, she was filthy, a mess, and covered in blood; but now after just one bath, she looked so much better and her age, even though her eyes clearly revealed that she was now an adult.

It was strange. Days ago, she and her parents were planning her seventeenth birthday party, a trip to a graduate school she was looking into for her masters, and the fact that she was soon going to be an older sister. All of that was taken away by an alien that looked like a purple lizard. And now another alien race had taken her from the desolate wasteland that was once her home.

Bulma wasn't an idiot. She knew what Vegeta and Kakarot were doing on her planet. She would have never thought anything like that possible had she not seen it first-hand. It was clear, though, that the two Saiyans who "rescued" her didn't really want to purge the planet. How did she come up with that? The jovial nature of Kakarot and the relief in Vegeta's eyes when he said that someone had beaten them to Earth's destruction.

It made Bulma wonder why they would purge if they didn't enjoy it? It was obvious that then lizard's men enjoyed every moment of purging. The actually laughed when they struck another innocent down. The streets were filled with blood, as Bulma could see from the windows of the building before she had been trapped in her room.

The monsters tore down the outer walls of Capsule Corp. and destroyed the defense system. Bulma closed her eyes and shook her head. She could NOT think of that now. Right now she had to figure out what was going to happen to her. She needed to why Vegeta hadn't killed her when he found her, or why he decided to bring her with him? He had given a reason, but it wasn’t a decent one. Sure, it might have been better for them to know who else was out there, but she refused to talk. Vegeta probably knew that she wouldn’t say anything, so keeping her around was useless. Was there a reason why she was spared and, if so, what could that reason be? Was there something that the prince wanted from her? She didn’t know what the truth was anymore.

* * *

She left the washroom and found that they had taken off, although she hadn't felt it. She must have been really out of it. Curiosity got the better of her and she stepped onto the cold metal floor of the ship's hall. It immediately made chills run up and down her spine, but she ignored the feeling and continued to walk into the ship's main control area.

She found Vegeta sleeping in a chair near the control panel and was trying to figure out why he was sleeping there if the ship was on autopilot. Then it hit her. He had given her his bed to sleep in. "What do you need?" he asked, making her jump. She hadn't made herself known yet, and she had barely made a sound. He hadn’t even looked at her yet. He turned in the chair to face her, looking impatient. "Well?"

Bulma looked away from him meekly. "I…n-nothing."

Bulma turned to walk away but Vegeta gently grabbed her arm and moved her to face him. He stared at her, his expression never changing, causing her to blush under his intense gaze. His face revealed no emotion to her, and it made her even more nervous, but Vegeta's expression did not soften.

"W-what are you…?" Bulma asked nervously when Vegeta took his other hand and caressed her face gently, moving back some loose strands.

"Nothing," he replied, taking his hand away from her face and let go of her arm. "You need rest. We will discuss what is to happen when we actually reach my planet tomorrow."

Bulma looked away. She did not feel comfortable in the way he worded that, especially after he touched her. It wasn’t like he had done anything over the top, but she just wasn’t comfortable with physical contact, at least not so soon after what had happened to her. Part of her wondered is Vegeta really was planning on using her the way he had implied with the other guy who had been with him. But hey, what would the difference be? At least he'd be gentler with her than her attacker, or so she hoped, but Bulma couldn't help feeling betrayed. She mentally scoffed at her own thought. This man didn't owe her anything. He hadn't needed to bring her along. He wasn't even a part of her race. There should be no feelings of betrayal here, but maybe it was time to cushion the blow.

"Yes, Prince Vegeta," Bulma said with a small bow before scurrying back to his room in silence.

Vegeta looked on in confusion. He had no idea why, out of nowhere, she was starting to use his title. Had he said something that made her think that she had to be formal with him? When his father wasn't listening, though proud of his royal status, Vegeta didn't like those he was close to using his title. But then, he wasn't close to the girl, but the way she had just acted made him feel a little strange, and not in a good way. He decided that, for now, he would just leave it. The girl had just been through a traumatic experience and probably took offense to everything right now. He knew what that was like after seeing it so many times first hand.

* * *

He decided to go check on her later and found her sleeping peacefully in his bed. She looked comfortable and warm and, for some reason, Vegeta found himself wanting to join her. He shook the thought and ruled it as him just being exhausted from the travelling and returned to the chair in the control room. Travelling in space was Vegeta’s least favorite way to pass the time. He would have rather been back at the palace. Being so far away, he had no idea what was going on, and that alone left him thinking too late and too long. It was a wonder he was so drained.

The next day, or the next day according to the computer screen, Vegeta woke up quite early. Kakarot and Bulma were still asleep so, for now, he reveled in the peace and quiet and made himself something quick to eat. He didn’t make much since he really wasn’t that hungry to begin with. When he was done with his meal, he felt Bulma's energy increase a bit and knew she was awake. An hour later, she still hadn't moved and Vegeta caught himself wondering what was wrong with her and why she was staying stationary.

He went to his room and saw her staring at the metal wall of the ship, unmoving. It was almost as if she was trapped inside of herself again, although her eyes were not glossed over as they had been. Vegeta walked closer to her, his presence causing her to shiver in fear. It left him stunned since the day before she had seemed at least somewhat comfortable in his company. The whole situation was not ideal for her, he understood that, but why was it that she suddenly afraid of him so suddenly?

"Bulma, what's wrong with you?" he asked with a slight growl. She didn't respond. He grabbed her as gently as he could and forced her to look at him. "Answer me."

"I…I'm sorry, Prince Vegeta," Bulma whispered.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at her. "Stop that," he snarled.

Bulma looked at him nervously. "Stop what?"

"Since when did you start using my title?" he returned. He really wanted to know. It wasn’t like she was a member of his race. Even Kakarot was no longer using his title, though the girl probably didn’t know that. She had only seen his subordinate on her planet and they had to remain detached from each other with his father listening. The girl herself had figured that out.

"When I realized I was going to really be your concubine," Bulma replied sadly.

Vegeta was beyond shocked at that. He thought that she had known that wouldn’t be what became of her. She had even thought his words to be exactly what they were: an act. Had he said anything last night that made her believe that his words were true? He thought about the moment in the control room when he had touched her probably a little to intimately and scoffed. Last night, he didn't know what possessed him to do that, nor did such a gesture imply that. He had been right last night; the girl was taking offense to everything. He needed to be much, much clearer.

"You won't be," Vegeta assured her. "Last night, I wasn't trying to lead you to believe that would be our arrangement. That is not what we had to discuss."

Bulma cocked her head and something inside of Vegeta fluttered at the innocent and hopeful gesture, but he ignored it. "It's not?"

Vegeta glared at her. "I'd be no better than those aliens that raided your planet."

Bulma returned his glare, angered by his statement. "You aren't!" she shouted. "You were going to do the same thing!"

"Not by choice!" Vegeta yelled back. Then Kakarot came into the room.

"Hey you guys, why are you screaming?" he asked rubbing his eyes.

"Kakarot, leave," Vegeta ordered.

Kakarot shrugged. "Whatever," he grumbled. He walked out, leaving Bulma and Vegeta alone.

Bulma stared at Vegeta who was brooding over what she said and avoiding her gaze. "Vegeta?" He looked over to her, but said nothing. His face betrayed no emotion, but his eyes were a different story. Bulma could see the hurt he hid in his dark irises, but that couldn't be right. He was a murderer and she couldn't forget that, but something in the way he was looking at her was weakening her resolve.

"You don't know anything," he replied. "And that is what I had to talk to you about."

He got up abruptly and stormed out of the room, slamming the door in frustration. Bulma stared at the door in confusion. She had only said something she had observed, something that she believed to be the truth about him and his race. It wasn’t like he could deny why he and this Kakarot guy had come to her planet. He hadn’t denied it, but what he said about a choice…she just didn’t understand.

She also didn't hear the door open again.

"Hey, don't mind him," Kakarot said forcing her from thought. His voice had startled her, but she managed to stay calm though her heart was racing a mile a minute. "He just has a lot to deal with."

Bulma looked over to the other alien. "What do you mean?" Her voice was hesitant, Kakarot noted, but his sharing anything with her left him more hesitant. He didn’t know how much Vegeta wanted to tell her about the environment she was entering. He frowned, knowing Vegeta would have wanted to tell her what exactly they were up against. Vegeta, though, being as upset by her remark as he was would remain in a training room the rest of the trip. It was his friend’s insanely bad habit.

"Vegeta's father isn't a good man," Kakarot finally admitted. "His grandfather was a great ruler who Vegeta admired, but his father is just plain twisted. As soon as his grandfather passed away, his father took over the throne and started acting like a vicious tyrant. He refused to even give our previous ruler a proper burial so Vegeta, his mother and brother, and my family did it in secret.

"After his father took over as ruler, he declared all of the old laws 'trivial and pointless.' He created many new laws that put everyone in danger if ever they even uttered one negative word about him. Vegeta's mother became fearful of her husband and tried to keep Vegeta and his brother away from him, but he found her out and tortured her." Bulma looked incredibly concerned when he said that. Kakarot held his hands up. "Don't worry; she's okay now. Unfortunately, she never disobeys her husband. She protects her sons from him, but other than that, she has become obedient.

"Vegeta hates his father, especially when he sends us away like this. Earth wasn't our first planet this trip." Bulma paled, but she was starting to understand why they were doing what they were. "We've actually been doing this for the last six months. He hates being away for so long because he always worries about his mother and brother not being there when he returns. One day, we hope to bring him down, but until then, we all have to play a part. He was just going to explain that to you."

"Kakarot," Vegeta growled in warning. Apparently he hadn’t started training yet like Kakarot had expected.

"Oh, hey Vegeta," Kakarot greeted as if nothing happened, ignoring the angered expression directed towards him. "I'll just leave you two alone."

Kakarot left and Vegeta stared at Bulma. She was stunned into silence by what she had just heard. "I…"

"Don't worry about it," Vegeta ordered. "It's fine."

Bulma wanted to tell him it wasn't fine, but she just couldn't say anything. "I…want to help."

Vegeta raised his eyebrow at her. Sure, he was going to discuss that with her later, but he didn't expect her to offer. She wasn’t really a part of this yet, which is why he needed to explain in the first place. He was hoping she’d be settled in before he started discussion strategies with her or anyone else. "Why?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Bulma looked into his eyes, holding back her own tears. "Because no one should ever live like that…afraid in their own home. And parents are supposed to protect their families, not force them to commit crimes." She looked like she was about to start panicking again, so Vegeta got down next to her and pulled her close to him, hoping she'd calm down.

"It's my life," he whispered in her ear. "I've learned to accept it." Bulma shook her head as she let out a few more whimpers. "But that is what I needed to tell you. Only around my father, you need to act as my slave. You will only use my title around him. You will never be alone with him and if he ever seeks you out, you will call for help. I will make sure that if I am not there, that you will have a guard. Do you understand?" Bulma nodded. "Good."

Vegeta gently pushed Bulma away from him and got up to leave the room, leaving a very sympathetic Bulma still sitting on the floor. She watched as the door slammed shut a second time and felt guiltier than she had in a while. Vegeta was a murderer, but he was also something else entirely.

He was a victim.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters

Vegeta avoided Bulma like the plague for the rest of the trip to Planet Vegeta. In fact, the only reason she knew he was still around was that Kakarot would say he was given orders to feed her or to draw her a bath. Kakarot had been her only source of information after Vegeta had disappeared. She learned about their race, customs, everything that she hadn’t thought to ask Vegeta after learning about his father.

They were part of a race called the Saiyans. They had always been warriors, but Vegeta’s grandfather had been a kinder ruler than his father. So many treaties had been established, and the Saiyans had fought _for_ other worlds instead of against them. The planet had profited more from those treaties that were now broken because of the tyrannical king who, like his father, son, and the planet, was also named Vegeta.

Kakarot also told her about his family. He was married to an alien of another race who had been forced to reside on Planet Vegeta, and they had a little boy. Kakarot lived with his parents and his two brothers. The family unit he was describing reminded her so much of families on Earth that she couldn’t help but smile as the Saiyan told her his family stories.

She did enjoy getting to know the upbeat Saiyan, but the truth was that she was worried about Vegeta. After their last encounter, Bulma realized that she had overstepped. It was obvious that he was different than those other aliens or else he would have done away with her when he found her. He showed her compassion when there was no hope for her and she shoved it back in his face. But she was still scared and getting used to the fact that there was no more Earth and being that last of her race. It was normal for her to feel the way she did about the situation, but now the guilt was eating away at her and she believed she was at fault.

She was brought out of her thoughts when Vegeta entered her room. He looked incredibly beat up, many new cuts and bruises littering his skin. She had never seen someone so injured before and she panicked, rushing over to the Saiyan prince.

“Vegeta, are you alright?” she asked, her brows furrowed in concern as she looked over him. He frowned at her when she ran her hand over the cuts on his cheek. His response to her concern was smacking her hand away. Bulma looked surprised as she held the smack hand to her chest looking pleadingly into his emotionless eyes.

“We are landing in an hour,” he stated with his arms crossed. “Be ready.”

Before she could say anything, he disappeared. Bulma had no idea what caused him to act this way. For a moment, she was afraid of him. The way he stared at her was so dark and cold, even though they seemed to develop an understanding during their last interaction. She had still hurt him, though, so maybe he was still sore over that. The guilt began to gnaw at her again.

“It’s not you.” Bulma looked up to see Kakarot, who could tell she was blaming herself for Vegeta’s attitude. He didn’t look happy. How could he be when he knew that Vegeta only acted this way to play his father? It wasn’t fair that Vegeta needed to always appear indifferent to protect those he cared about. His friend couldn’t live life pushing others away. “He’s usually like this when we have to go back. If he ever showed emotion around his father, the bastard would exploit it.”

Bulma seemed to understand, but she too became slightly angered, though not at Vegeta. “Is that why he’s been avoiding me?” Kakarot nodded. She frowned and looked away. It was hard to believe that there could be someone so cruel and callous as the king that Kakarot had told her about, though she had already seen so many that held those same characteristics in the aliens that attacked her planet. She just shook her head in disbelief.

There was something she wanted to ask, but she was struggling to find the words. Kakarot waited patiently knowing that there was something she needed to know. “Did he hurt himself?” she finally said, basically forcing the words out.

“Yeah,” Kakarot muttered reluctantly. Bulma squeezed her eyes shut and tried to take a calming breath. “But it’s not as bad as you think,” he attempted to convince her. Bulma gave him a disbelieving look mentally asking, _Are you freaking kidding me?_ Sensing her apprehension, he explained, “Saiyans heal a lot faster than any other race and, when we do heal, we get stronger. We also have these beans that heal us instantly called senzu beans. Next time you see him, he won’t have any cuts on him. It’s just a training method.” Truthfully, not many Saiyans trained that way, but Bulma didn’t need to know that right now.

Bulma still didn’t like that Vegeta was purposefully hurting himself, magic beans or not. She wanted t voice her distaste, but Kakarot interrupted her train of thought. “Oh, before I forget, here.”

Bulma looked down at the bracelet Kakarot was holding to her. It made no sense to her that he was giving her a bracelet. Silently, she questioned it, not moving to take it. What exactly was it?

“It’s a gravity control set to Earth’s normal gravity,” Kakarot told her without her even asking anything. She wondered if all Saiyans were this perceptive or if it was just Vegeta and Kakarot. “Planet Vegeta has ten times more gravity than your planet and until you can be weaned up to that level, you need to wear it.”

Bulma nodded and took the bracelet. After she put it on her wrist, she rotated it around to observe every detail of the strange technology. A smile appeared on her face making Kakarot raise an eyebrow watching her with amusement.

“What are you doing?” he asked forcing himself not to laugh at her.

Bulma’s eyes lit up and she turned her smile to him. “If all your technology is like this, I think I’ll be in heaven.”

Kakarot chuckled and shook his head. “Come on, let’s go get strapped in.”

* * *

Things were going well during the half hour before Vegeta entered the control room. He sat in the chair facing Kakarot and Bulma. He looked tense yet dangerous, and Bulma couldn’t help but stare at him nervously. Kakarot stared at him with equal seriousness and waited to hear what Vegeta had to say. The atmosphere was tense.

“When we return, Kakarot, you will not tell my father anything. If he asks about the mission, tell him I intend to answer all those questions in a full report. If he asks about the girl, you will tell him that you know nothing other than what was said over the scouter and our energy during the last few nights.” Bulma did not like the sound of that. She knew, thanks to Kakarot, that most of the Saiyan race could sense energy levels, including subtle increases and decreases in mood or activity. Vegeta was telling Kakarot to say their energy indicated high activity, which just made her feel dirty. She guessed that she was going to have to get used to that type of talk if she was acting under the pretense of his concubine. “Any other questions you may answer at your discretion.”

He turned to Bulma. He had spent the majority of the time the previous night thinking on ways to keep her as safe as could be expected. “As for you, you will say nothing, starting now. I intend to make him believe you are still in some state of shock. He is not to know of your engineering abilities or status on Earth. He is to think you are my concubine. You will not react to anything I say, understand?”

Bulma swallowed nervously and nodded. She had to admit that she was afraid of Vegeta now that he was acting so cold and calculating. It was like the small amount of kindness she had seen in him disappeared.

Vegeta took his scouter and put it on. “Any questions, Kakarot?” he asked as he turned on the device.

A firm frown found its place on Kakarot’s face. Bulma, for the moment, could barely recognize him. “No, sir.”

* * *

The landing wasn’t nearly as bad as Bulma thought it would be. It was incredibly smooth, unlike flying on an airplane. She couldn’t help but think that if Earth hadn’t been wiped clean by that other group of aliens, that they could have learned a lot from the Saiyans and maybe could have made a treaty with them or something to prevent Earth’s destruction. Both planets could have prospered and made a trade, but those on Earth hadn’t really known all of this existed. There had always been theories on alien life, but no one expected intergalactic warlords attacking the planet. Honestly, they hadn’t stood a chance and that, to Bulma, wasn’t fair.

Vegeta walked up to her and glared down at her making her shrink up inside. She looked down to the ground, feeling so nervous and small under his dominant gaze. Her eyes moved to look up at him, though she was still looking down. He was smirking and looking at her with approval. He gave a curt nod, and that’s when she realized what he wanted. The fact that she was in a submissive position was apparently appropriate. She didn’t like it, but if they were going to fool his father then she would have to play along.

Bulma followed behind Vegeta and Kakarot and, though she was curious about her new surroundings, she did not look up at the guards saluting their prince. She could see them from the corners of her eyes, however, and could tell by the way they looked at Vegeta that they highly respected him. It made her wonder why no one was going up against their tyrannous king, but she didn’t dare voice anything to Vegeta, at least not at the moment.

She almost jumped when a bald guy ran in front of them. She slightly peaked up and could visibly see his anxiety.

“I trust your mission went well, Prince Vegeta?” he asked hopefully.

“Not this time, Nappa,” Vegeta replied calmly and walked around the man along with Kakarot. Bulma followed behind and caught the look of panic on the other Saiyan’s face.

“I see you have returned, my son. How was the flight?” Bulma heard a voice boom.

Vegeta shrugged. “I’m here.”

“I see.” The king turned to face Kakarot. “Soldier, what do you have to report?”

“Nothing that V…Prince Vegeta won’t tell you,” Kakarot replied.

The king smirked. He knew that this soldier was a friend to his son and only kept quiet about missions when Vegeta ordered it in attempts to keep the other man from being punished. He planned to humor him and his son. It always served to be more interesting to him when he toyed with those beneath him. “I understand that you have a mate and son, correct?”

Anger flickered in both Kakarot’s and Vegeta’s eyes at the apparent threat. “Y-yes, sir,” Kakarot said clenching his fists.

“You may return to them now. Expect payment within the week.”

Kakarot knelt down and bowed, refraining from displaying any emotion. He felt relieved, though, that he was being dismissed, but he was concerned for his friend. He knew the sacrifice Vegeta was making for him. “Thank you, your highness.” The words were spoken with respect, and Vegeta knew that Kakarot was referring to him under the guise of responding to his father.

Kakarot left the throne room, and then the king dismissed the others Bulma assumed to be guards or soldiers as well. It was now just the king, Vegeta, and Bulma.

The king was frowning at Vegeta. “What happened that you ordered your _underling_ not to speak of and _who_ ,” the king asked sneering at Bulma, “is this weak creature?”

Vegeta didn’t flinch or display any of the nerves he was feeling being on the other side of his father’s rage. “When Kakarot and I landed on the planet, it had already been purged by others. This young girl was the only survivor and, though she is in shock now, I feel she will be able to tell us who in the future so that we can confront this new threat. In the meantime, I wish to take her as my concubine. She is a pretty creature, wouldn’t you agree?”

The king’s features darkened. “Nappa!”

The bald Saiyan from earlier entered the throne room. The king looked to Vegeta who immediately understood what was about to happen as well as knowing that his father accepted his request regarding Bulma.

“Nappa, take this girl to my quarters and make sure she is fed. My father and I have more to…discuss.”

Nappa hesitated, but nodded and turned to Bulma. “Come, girl,” he said forcefully.

Bulma looked to Vegeta who stared at her with a cold expression. She shivered and turned to follow Nappa. It amazed her how much he could control her with a single look. That fact alone frightened her. That and the fact that Vegeta was staying back with his father. She didn’t understand why the king had ordered Nappa in, or why he got so angry with Vegeta for things that were beyond his control.

* * *

“You must be special, girl,” Nappa said quietly, interrupting her thoughts. She didn’t respond, so he continued to talk just as softly. “Vegeta never shows any interest in anyone, let alone a weak, human female.” Bulma tried her best not to retort to the insult, mainly because she knew that compared to the Saiyans and the aliens that conquered her planet, she was weak. “Probably has something to do with that jackass we call the king.”

Bulma was shocked that Nappa would speak about his disdain with her so freely and about how he knew Vegeta’s motives without actually knowing anything at all. Maybe this entire race felt this way about their king and hoped their prince would take the throne, but then why not revolt? They were a strong, warrior race. There had to be something she was missing regarding the situation. Just what gave the king so much power?

“Here we are,” Nappa said stopping in front of a large door. He opened it and led Bulma into the room. “I will have clothes and food sent here for you. If you need anything else, there will be a guard posted outside the door, got it?” Bulma nodded.

Nappa turned to leave and Bulma muttered a quiet “thank you” before gasping and smacking her hands over her mouth. She turned nervously to Nappa who just smirked at her.

“I knew it,” he replied. “Don’t worry, girl. You are under the prince’s protection. Your secret is safe with me.”

“Um, excuse me, um, sir,” Bulma said quietly, matching his volume. He raised his brow at her, curious as to what she was going to say. “What’s going on? I mean, what is going to happen to Vege…I mean the prince?”

Nappa frowned and replied saying, “That I cannot tell you, girl. You will find out soon enough what the king does if someone fails a mission.”

“But it’s not Vegeta’s fault!” Bulma exclaimed. Nappa covered her mouth quickly. He shot her a glare making her fearful of the man.

“You would be wise not to talk that loudly again,” he warned. “Saiyan hearing is incredibly powerful and the king could have overheard.” Bulma nodded, tears starting to fall from her eyes. Nappa’s face calmed and he actually looked guilty for the moment after frightening the girl. He sighed. “Just, go inside.”

Bulma didn’t have to be told twice. She ran into Vegeta’s room and shut the door quickly behind her. She was terrified at the way these people were and for the moment, she wished she had been killed with the rest of her family. Then she would be happy with them, free of suffering, and not in the middle of this. More tears fell. _Why didn’t he just kill me?_

* * *

Hours later, Bulma was awoken by the sound of the door opening. Two guards were carrying Vegeta and lying him down on his bed. She remained silent, pretending to still be asleep as the guards did their duties. “Why can’t we just give him a senzu?” one of them asked.

“You know how the king is,” the other said. “He has forbidden it. The prince must heal on his own.”

“He can barely even move to treat himself. At this rate he’ll catch an infection and die, Zorn.”

“We cannot help him,” the guard said sadly before escorting the other out. He turned back to look at Vegeta, and Bulma could even feel his reluctance to leave. “Good luck, my prince.”

After the door had shut, Bulma got closer to Vegeta. She could barely make out his form in the dark since there didn’t seem to be any lights in the room. Instead, she opened a window and was shocked to see a sky, similar to her own night sky, though violet-red and not blue. There were many stars and a crescent moon lighting up the room. Thankfully, it was enough for her to see Vegeta.

She moved to sit down on the bed next to the prince and gently touched his face. Vegeta moaned slightly from the contact and Bulma quickly pulled her hand back.

“Don’t touch me, girl,” he ordered, though his voice lacked his usually forcefulness.

“But you need help,” she told him.

Vegeta attempted to sit up and object, but fell back down on his bed. “Stupid,” he mumbled.

“What is?” Bulma asked, but Vegeta didn’t reply. She then remembered what the guard said about an infection. She went into what she assumed was Vegeta’s washroom and found and wet a cloth with warm water and possibly soap. She returned to him to clean the cuts.

Vegeta hissed when the cloth came in contact with one of his wounds. “What the hell are you doing?” he scolded in a whisper. Bulma was starting to notice that everyone in the palace needed to talk quietly in order to stay safe from the king.

Bulma looked up at him and glared. “I’m making sure these cuts don’t get infected. Just suck it up, shut up, and let me work, okay?”

Vegeta stared at her defiantly but said nothing else as Bulma cleaned the rest of his wounds. Secretly he was impressed that she had stood up to him even though he was much stronger than her. He frowned knowing he could say the same for his father. He knew he was stronger than the king. It was that damned trinket he found that gave him power, but there had to be some way around it.

Bulma left to return the cloth to the washroom and Vegeta started to give into exhaustion. By the time Bulma was by his side again, he was asleep. Bulma looked around nervously before reluctantly getting into the bed with him. Unfortunately for her, this type of contact was going to be her life now and she needed to get used to it, especially when Vegeta unconsciously wrapped his arms around her waist in his sleep. She nearly screamed when he pulled her against his body. Her panicked state was forgotten when she turned to face him. Even though he was asleep, his expression was pained and his breathing was uneven. Bulma took her hand and stroked his strong face and his tense jaw. His face changed from tense to relaxed, and Bulma realized that she was not the only one who needed comfort. Vegeta needed it too. She could only hope that he wasn’t too proud to accept what little she could offer him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters
> 
> Now, at the time, I was reading a lot of dark fics, so this kind of took a dark plot of its own. Don’t worry; for those who have read it, they could tell you it gets a hell of a lot better darkness-wise, at least. Most of my stories usually don’t take this kind of a turn. But hey, the past is the past. If I changed it now, it would change the whole story, so now it’s just onward and upward.

Vegeta woke up, but hadn’t yet opened his eyes. This was a strange sensation. He always was on high alert. He never slept as peaceful a sleep as he did last night and he always woke up and leapt out of bed on instinct, yet his instincts were telling him to stay in bed.

Vegeta felt like he was holding on to something very tightly and he had no idea what it was. He forced himself to open his eyes and saw that he was holding Bulma in a very intimate, yet protective position, usually one reserved for mates.

 _What the hell?_ Vegeta thought to himself, blushing. _Whatever. This means absolutely nothing. She’s just here to help take down my father._

And that was what he was going to keep telling himself.

After getting ready for training, Vegeta walked to his bedroom door and looked back over to Bulma’s sleeping form. She looked so peaceful breathing so softly, and Vegeta could see why he felt as calm as he did when he woke up. It couldn’t happen again, though, for his father could always attack him or her if he wasn’t on high alert. He’d have to have Nappa sneak a cot in or something. There was no way she was sleeping in his bed again. Or so he thought.

“Well, if it isn’t my son, awake and ready for his long day of training,” his father drawled when he passed him in the hallway. Vegeta nodded and continued walking. His father blocked him, not letting him get to the training chambers. Vegeta growled at the man, not liking the fact that he was being stopped. He didn’t even like to be in the same palace as him, let alone a corridor where they stood face to face. “I can’t help but notice that you don’t smell of the woman you brought with you.”

“And?” Vegeta snapped, desperate to get away from the man he was training to kill.

“And I just thought, that after such a long journey, the two of you would be at it for a while.” His father chuckled darkly and Vegeta glared at him. Yes, this was his father, in all of his sick and perverted glory. It made Vegeta sick, the way his father was. It was disrespectful to his mother, and disrespectful to Bulma, though his father didn’t see Bulma as more than his son’s concubine.

“What’s it to you?” Vegeta snapped, not liking his father diving into his private affairs.

His father’s smirk widened and became more sadistic as he said, “Because I’d like a crack at that beauty myself and, if you aren’t using her, I could definitely use her in my harem. So, I’m posing a challenge.”

 _Challenge?_ Vegeta could see where this was going and it was making him feel seriously ill. “What?” he replied through gritted teeth.

The king’s smirk turned into a suggestive grin. “Take her by the end of the week and if I may find her scent on you within the week, I’ll leave her be in your possession. But fail and she will be mine. Deal?”

There was no other choice; he had to agree to it or Bulma would be put in an even more dangerous situation. The only problem was that if he couldn’t get her to agree, he would have to prove her wrong. He would be no better than the men that took over her planet. He growled and nodded, accepting his father’s challenge. His father let his arrogant smirk shine through before leaving his son to train, knowing full well that his son was training to defeat him even though he would never be able to accomplish that feat.

Vegeta let out a breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding. He turned to enter the training chamber and found Kakarot standing there waiting for him with his eyes widened in shock. He had heard everything said between father and son.

* * *

Bulma woke up and stretched herself onto the bed. She left out a sad sigh remembering the wonderful dream she had woken up from. She was with her parents, on a trip, with her new baby brother and, in the dream, they were still arguing whether to name the baby Trunks or Goku. It still hadn’t fully hit her that that part of her life was over. She was still hoping to wake up and be with her family once more.

It finally came crashing down on her in a huge wave and Bulma broke down into tears. It had been a little over a week and she had only felt shocked and confused. She hadn’t cried once since everything that happened and now she couldn’t stop. She had been going through the motions and hadn’t even realized it, and it had just consumed her and brought her to her breaking point.

“Why are you crying?” Bulma stopped her sobs and gasped. She turned to see who was in the room with her, but didn’t see anyone. She felt something tap her lap and saw a small tail. She nearly screamed as the tail and owner disappeared under the bed.

She stayed frozen in place trying to will herself calm. Out of nowhere, a little, smiling boy popped out from the front of the bed. “Hi,” he said with a smile. That was all it took to make Bulma scream.

Saiyans had excellent hearing, but it wouldn’t have taken that skill for anyone in the palace to hear the girlish scream. That included Vegeta, Kakarot, Nappa, some guards, and the king and queen.

“What is the meaning of this?” the king shouted when he saw Bulma’s shaking form.

“I think I scared her,” the little boy said.

“Oh, the poor dear,” the queen said. “Tarble, you know better than to enter a room without knocking.”

“Aw, but mama, I wanted to see the girl Veggie brought back,” Tarble whined. “Plus, she was crying. I only asked why.”

Vegeta was about to step over to her to make sure she was alright, but his father beat him to it and sent him a warning glare for good measure. Vegeta stayed frozen in place as the others could only watch what they were assuming was to be bad news for Bulma.

Bulma was shaking, hiding within herself, and sobbing uncontrollably. “Shut up,” she heard the king say, but that only made her cry more. This angered the king very greatly.

Vegeta had to force himself not to attack when his father aggressively hoisted Bulma into the air by her neck. He didn’t know why he was becoming so defensive of her, other than the fact that he needed her. On that note, he felt his chest tighten in what he could only assume was fear and regret. The regret part stemmed from the fact that Vegeta himself had held her like that not too long ago. This girl did not deserve this kind of treatment from anyone let alone him and his father.

“I ordered you to shut up,” the king said darkly. “Now you will either obey, or face consequences.”

“Please dear, the poor girl did nothing wrong,” the queen said meekly. She too feared her husband’s wrath.

Bulma finally got passed her sobs to the point where she was just sniffling and, where that was still angering the king, he allowed her to fall back down to the bed and then left. The queen rushed over to her as Bulma placed her hand on her neck while gasping for air.

“Child, please tell me you’re alright,” the queen pleaded. Bulma looked over to her and shook her head. The queen frowned and hugged her. “Nappa, please go bring some kamormiru tea for us,” she requested.

“Right away, your majesty,” Nappa replied after recovering from his initial shock. He turned to face the other guards. “Get back to your posts. There is nothing to see here.”

The guards all gulped and rushed back to their posts as they were told. Kakarot finally entered the room once the guards had left. He looked to Bulma with pity and then to Vegeta with worry having overheard what he had.

“I didn’t mean to make her scared, mama,” Tarble said with his tailing drooping to the ground in sadness. “I didn’t mean to get her in trouble.”

The queen smiled at her ten year old son and ruffled his hair. “Kakarot, would you take my son out for a little while? I’d like to talk to Vegeta.”

“Of course,” Kakarot agreed. He walked over to Tarble and picked him up. “Come on kid. Let’s go break into the kitchen again.”

“Yay!” Tarble cheered as the older Saiyan took him out of the room.

The queen looked at Bulma who was now curled up into ball-form on the edge of the bed. “Your name is Bulma, yes?” she asked. Bulma nearly jumped out of her own skin. She looked over to Vegeta who nodded at her. She looked back up to the queen. “My son has told me everything about what has happened and why he has brought you here. I am sorry, my child, that so much has happened to you in so short a time.” Bulma didn’t say anything. She didn’t believe that either Vegeta or his mother would understand anything she had to say anyway. “My name is Kalina.”

Bulma nodded in recognition, but she still didn’t trust anyone right now. They heard Nappa clear his throat at the door. He had brought them the tea.

Bulma watched Queen Kalina prepare a cup for her, but was a little hesitant to take it. The queen saw this and flashed her a sad smile before taking a sip to show that the drink was safe. Bulma took the cup and tasted the tea. Her eyes widened in shock when she tasted it. “Do you not like it?” Queen Kalina asked.

“It tastes like chamomile,” Bulma replied. Noticing the Saiyans’ confusion, she elaborated. “It’s a flavor of tea back on Earth. My mother and I used to drink it every night before bed.”

Nappa and Vegeta didn’t say anything. They weren’t used to dealing with emotional girls, or victims who had lost their worlds. The queen, however, smiled and moved to hug the young girl. “I am glad that we were already able to find something to remind you of your home. I am sorry that my mate ordered it to be purged and even sorrier that others got their first.”

Bulma continued to sip her tea as the queen motioned for her son to follow her outside the room.

“Yes mother?” Vegeta asked.

“You better not hurt her,” his mother replied. “She’s very fragile right now and frightened.”

Vegeta nodded, though he didn’t know how he would keep that promise. He only had until the end of the week to fulfill his father’s demand and if he didn’t, then Bulma was as good as dead.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters
> 
> When I initially wrote this chapter, I was inspired by the centrifuge we were using in my microbiology lab class to explain a possible way for the gravity simulator to work. If it actually would work, I have no idea. I’m a biologist, not a physicist, after all ^^

Bulma was slowly starting to adjust to Planet Vegeta. It had been half a week since her run in with the king and meeting Vegeta's mother and brother. She actually liked Queen Kalina as she reminded her of her own mother at times. Tarble spent time with her too, which Bulma hadn't minded. The young boy seemed to understand the need for secrecy about her true talents. He would ask her questions all day in the lab, but never say anything around anyone else.

"So what does this do, Bulma?" Tarble asked sweetly as he poked at a machine Bulma made out of a Saiyan ship.

"It's a gravity machine," she answered.

"What does it do?" Tarble asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

Bulma smiled. "It's a chamber that increases the gravity, which makes it more difficult to move. If someone could overcome the higher gravity, they can be faster at normal gravity."

"That's so cool!" Tarble exclaimed. "How does it work?"

"I was wondering that myself."

Bulma and Tarble turned to see Vegeta leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. The girl was still a little wary about Vegeta, despite the fact that he rescued her. He always seemed to be staring directly into her soul, and the thought terrified her. It helped, though, that Tarble seemed so laidback around his brother. If that was the case, Vegeta couldn’t really be too bad a guy.

"Hi, Veggie, Bulma was just telling me about her gravity machine thingy," Tarble said excitedly.

Bulma grew slightly nervous under Vegeta's intense gaze, but she tried to push her unease to the back of her mind and chalk it up to interest.

"Well, I installed a rotator on the bottom of the ship and, depending on what the gravity level is set to, it spins fast enough to apply that force down on your body…like a centrifuge."

Vegeta didn't know what a centrifuge was, but he wasn't going to question her logic.

"How far can it go up?" Vegeta asked.

Bulma pondered the question for a minute. "Well, a centrifuge can go up to more than 10,000 times Earth's gravity was, but that's for tiny test tubes. For a ship this big and the force being applied to a living being, I estimate about 400 times the gravity of Earth for now."

Vegeta smirked. This would definitely help in his training.

"Can you feel the machine spinning?" Tarble asked.

Bulma shook her head. "I covered up the windows on the ship with an outer layer of metal," she explained, "so you wouldn't be able to see things on the outside spinning and you would feel like you're being pulled down. Only someone on the outside would be able to tell the machine is spinning."

"Where does all of the energy go?" Vegeta asked. For something to move so fast, the energy produced would have to be released somewhere.

"Well, it would be converted to heat for the most part, which is why there is a ventilation and cooling system, to protect whoever is inside and also to prevent the ship from overheating and blowing up. It will probably need a few system checks a month depending on how often it's used."

Vegeta nodded. He was thoroughly impressed with Bulma's knowledge and it made him respect her more. He quietly watched her as she showed his little brother some more projects she was thinking of and it made him smile. The coldhearted prince was slowly starting to fall for her in such short a time. This was another reason for him putting off his father's challenge for so long. He cared about Bulma and did not want to hurt her more than she had been; however, he only had two days left before his father would take her away.

* * *

"Vegeta," Kakarot said with concern when he saw his friend training so aggressively in training chambers. He walked up to the prince and put a hand on his shoulder. Vegeta looked up at him and calmed himself down, looking to his recent wounds of accidental self-mutilation. "What are you doing to yourself?"

"I can't do it, Kakarot," Vegeta sighed in defeat. "I can't bring myself to cause her more harm."

Kakarot nodded knowingly. "But if you don't, she will be worse off. We both know how your father treats women. She won't survive a few hours with him."

Vegeta shook his head. This is what he had been telling himself for the last few days but it didn't make it any easier. Every time he looked at her, she seemed to be wary, but at the same time she felt safe when he was around. If he did this to her, she would no longer trust him. He didn’t want to hurt her or lose her trust. Not when he was starting to see her as something more than just a means to defeat his father.

"Why don't you just tell her?" Kakarot asked.

"Yes, Kakarot, because after everything that happened to her I'm supposed to tell her that my father wants me to rape her or he will. Are you out of your mind?"

"Well, don't say it like that," Kakarot muttered. "And why not? She knows what your dad is like. Maybe she'll be okay with it if it's just this once, if she knows you don’t want this."

Vegeta sighed in frustration and shook his head. He knew there was no way that Bulma would understand this despite everything she knew of his father. Storming off, Vegeta had in mind what he had to do.

* * *

Bulma found herself missing home again. It hadn't even been much more than a week yet, but for some reason, she felt guilty for wanting to leave. She knew how important it was for Vegeta to get stronger to defeat his father, but she couldn't help but wonder about after that. Earth as she knew it was gone and she had no one left in the universe except for the Saiyans. But for some reason, she kept seeing herself leaving and never coming back. She just didn't know where she would go.

She didn't notice Vegeta enter the dark room as she laid in the bed thinking about her future and what would happen when this nightmare was over. Would she tell Vegeta about the men who attacked her home? Would she ask to stay on Planet Vegeta and make a life for herself? Too many things were on her mind.

Vegeta sat down next to her and she immediately jolted up. She still wasn't used to not being able to see. "Oh, Vegeta, it's only you. For a second I was worried it might be…someone else." Vegeta took one of his hands and gently stroked Bulma's hair. "V-V-Vegeta?" Bulma called out nervously. "W-what are you doing?"

"Bulma," he spoke out softly. "There is something I must tell you."

"What is it?" He didn't answer right away. "Vegeta, seriously, you're making me nervous."

"My father gave me a proposition five days ago," Vegeta reluctantly admitted. "He said if I didn't use you the way a concubine should be used that he would take you away and use you himself."

Bulma paled and tensed and Vegeta felt her unease. "I get it," she responded sadly. "You have to take me whether I'm willing or not."

"Bulma…"

"It's fine," she lied. "I mean, it'd be better if it were you, right?" He could tell that she was trying to be strong, but he could smell her tears making it even more difficult for him. "Let's just get this over with."

Vegeta nodded and moved on top of her. "I am not doing this to hurt you. I respect you and believe me when I say that this is the last thing I wanted to do." Bulma didn't respond. She just looked away from him towards the wall, trying to stop herself from crying.

Vegeta started to remove their clothes. While he was doing so, he felt this large surge of self-loathing overtake his senses. He now understood why his father wanted for this to happen. The bastard could tell that Vegeta cared for the girl. She was the only girl he had ever shown interest in and that was before he found out about her intelligence. Perhaps he wanted this because he knew it would be Vegeta's first time and that he'd hate himself the rest of his life. That had to be the reason his father made this sick challenge, to destroy him. Well, even if he did hate himself, Vegeta wouldn't let his father win completely. He was going to make it so that no one could touch Bulma again, and go against his father in the process.

He closed the distance between their bodies and kissed her neck. "I promise this will be over before you know it," he whispered into her ear.

Bulma didn't care about what he had said. She was somewhere far away right now, just like when Vegeta had found her. She felt nothing; she could see nothing; part of her was starting to think she was nothing. She registered that he had said something, though, and she closed her eyes, waiting for impact.

* * *

It was over. His father's sick game had a winner; however, Vegeta felt like he had lost so much in taking her. His pride, for one, took a huge blow, knowing that his father truly had control over him. His sanity was another thing entirely.

When he moved away from her, Bulma turned away from him and pretended to fall asleep. After about an hour of them both lying there, he heard her crying in hysterics asking why she had to be spared from death and why he hadn't killed her when he found her, that she would have been better off.

Hearing her talk like that was already starting to take its toll on Vegeta, but not just because he felt terrible for what he did. He knew that the only way to keep the girl safe from other Saiyans was to take her as a mate. He hadn't really thought it through, but he did it for her safety. After she had cried herself to sleep, Vegeta had gotten up and redressed himself. It was time to confront his father with the results of the evening. One thing was for certain, the fact that he took Bulma as a mate was going to be kept a secret, even from her, regardless of what it would do to him.

Vegeta did not want to enter his father's room. He had no idea what to expect upon entering. When he did finally get up the courage to open the door, he was greeted with the highly unpleasant smell of alcohol. Vegeta sneered as he pushed through and found his father with women draped over him. _Disgusting,_ Vegeta thought bitterly before his father noticed him.

The king whispered to the women who quickly left the room so that he could talk with his son. He smirked at the prince who just glared back at him.

"So I see that you met my challenge," he said smugly. "How was it?"

"That is none of your business, father," Vegeta sneered. The king just smirked at the boy.

"Did you not enjoy yourself? Maybe I should take the girl anyhow."

"You will not touch her," Vegeta growled. "That is why I am here. I did what you asked, so she stays in my possession. You are not to go near her."

The king's prideful expression fell and he glared at his son. "She is just a sex slave, son," he retorted, "yet you act as if she is something more. You better not think about mating or procreating with her. You know what I do to the concubines who end up with child."

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't dream of taking a weakling as a mate," he lied.

"Good, then you are dismissed."

"Yeah, so you can go back to your dishonorable activities," Vegeta replied disrespectfully.

Before he could leave the room, he felt to the ground curling up inside himself in agony. _That damned device again,_ Vegeta thought in frustration before receiving a kick in the stomach.

After coughing up some blood, Vegeta looked up at his father whose face displayed nothing but rage. "You better watch yourself, brat. You know that with the tōgoku I can bring anyone to their knees, even you. It must be incredibly painful to have your power locked inside of you without any way of release. Remember that next time you dare to disrespect me."

His father left the room, and Vegeta regained control of his power and body; however, he didn't have enough energy to stand or walk out of the room on his own. Instead he managed to roll himself over so he was on all fours and dragged himself back to his room.

When he entered his room, he managed to sit up against the wall next to his door and push it closed. The room felt heavy and Vegeta looked over to his bed. Thankfully, Bulma was still asleep. He was not ready to face her yet. The prince decided that it would be best for them both if he never really did. With that, he decided to leave his room again, this time to find another place to rest and recover, far away from his new mate. And for Saiyans, distancing themselves from their mate was never a good thing to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Tōgoku – means imprisonment in Japanese (got it out of an English to Japanese dictionary), so basically it causes injury because the device steals the energy of the victim and weakens them. That was my idea for it, anyway.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters

Bulma woke up the next morning, broken, sore, and alone. She still couldn’t get over the feeling of betrayal and disgust she felt towards Vegeta. He had promised that it would never come to this, that he would never be like the men who attacked her on her home planet. She was still wishing that the attackers would have killed her or that Vegeta would have when he found her. It would have been for the best. She could have been with her family if that had happened and not where she was now.

She thought back to the men who destroyed her home. They had come to Capsule Corp. trying to find the head scientist. Anyone would have suspected it to be her father, but they knew. Bulma was the real brains behind many of the weapons and defense system. That’s why _he_ wanted her.

That creepy, purple lizard had ordered the attack on Earth. He knew of Bulma’s talents, though she had no idea of how. His men wanted her; that much he knew, so he gave them the order to crush her spirit. She had been left a little too crushed, and Frieza did not want her in that condition. So they left her, but would be back in a few months to see if she came around. If not, oh well. Besides, the monster still had to discuss selling the planet to another. And that is how Bulma came to be all alone.

She had not recovered. Sure, she seemed fine to anyone who saw her, but the truth was she hated this situation and this planet. She had wanted to help Vegeta prevent another tyrant like Frieza from taking over the universe. But in addition to helping him, she was partly planning her way out of the world. Depression and fear of the unknown could drive someone to that limit. Little did she know, there was another at the moment attempting to do just that, either to get rid of the pain in his chest at the known rejection of his new mate or to get strong enough to defeat his father.

* * *

“Sir, she said the gravity chamber hasn’t been tested,” Nappa said trying to reason with the young prince. Vegeta had entered the lab and had started messing with the gravity room. This is where Nappa had found him, expecting to find the scientist there and not the prince.

“I don’t care,” he admitted, stewing in his self-hatred.

“Vegeta, what happened?” his guard questioned, noticing a change in Vegeta’s behavior.

“Nothing,” the prince lied.

“Don’t give me that,” Nappa scolded. “You know I know you better than that.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Vegeta argued, still refusing to meet Nappa’s eye. “Now leave me alone. If something happens then so be it. I don’t want you here.”

“What if you get severely injured?” Nappa asked in concern.

Vegeta shrugged nonchalantly. “Then I die. No big deal.”

Vegeta walked into the gravity chamber leaving Nappa stunned into silence with his mouth hanging open. _The prince didn’t care about dying? Why?_

Nappa shook his head, not wanting to go against an order but also not wanting the prince to hurt himself. He settled for going to the prince’s room to confront Bulma. Maybe she knew why he was acting like someone stabbed him through his heart.

* * *

Bulma took a bath but, no matter how much she scrubbed, she could not get rid of the dirty feeling she felt crawling over her skin. She had started to trust Vegeta. After all, he was kind to her, making sure she was clothed, fed, and safe. But now, she felt everything but safe. He had lied to her. He promised that he wouldn’t use her as his sex slave. Yes, his father threatened to take her, but it was still emotionally scarring. She never expected someone she was starting to care about to take her before she was ready. _Would I have ever been ready?_ She couldn’t say for sure that she would have been. “I should talk to him,” she whispered. There had to be a way for her to get over it and push it behind her.

Bulma moved over to the mirror in Vegeta’s washroom and saw a mark on her neck. She put her fingers to it and was met with a shock of pain. Whatever it was, it was still tender to the touch. It had to have been something Vegeta had done, but Bulma numbed herself so much that she had no memory of it.

“So I was right,” Bulma heard Nappa say from the doorway. She squealed slightly and grabbed the towel closer to body to hide herself. “Relax, girl. I’m just here to talk to you. I was going to ask you why the prince was on a suicide mission, but now I understand.” Bulma looked seriously confused and Nappa realized that she had no idea what the mark on her neck meant. He sighed in frustration. “Get dressed, princess. You need to come with me.”

“P-Princess?” Bulma asked nervously. “I-I’m not a princess.”

“Just get dressed and I will explain,” Nappa replied.

Bulma obeyed and took out a blue dress from Vegeta’s closet and then sat down in a chair, hugging her knees to herself as she sheepishly looked up at Nappa.

The guard shook his head. Something had obviously happened here that had nothing to do with the prince wanting a mate. “Tell me what happened, Bulma,” he ordered gently.

“There’s nothing to say,” she said looking away from the man.

“You and Vegeta slept together,” he stated as fact. When Bulma tensed, he continued. “It wasn’t a choice either of you made, was it? It was his father.” Bulma nodded as the tears formed in the corners of her eyes again. “The prince mated with you.” Bulma shot up in alarm and stared at him with wide eyes. “He probably did it to keep you safe from other Saiyans. That mark on your neck means that you are his and no one would dare mess with a Saiyan’s mate. However, if you or he rejects each other, it could potentially kill him. You wouldn’t feel the pain as you are not a Saiyan.”

“What?” Bulma asked. She didn’t know anything about Saiyans or mating with them and, from what Nappa was saying, Vegeta was hurting worse than she was. “I didn’t know…”

“I know, and don’t worry, he won’t die physically any time soon, but emotionally…he’s been gone there for a while…”

Bulma could see that Nappa was very concerned for Vegeta. Hell, now she felt bad for the prince even though her trust in him had faltered. “What do you mean?”

Nappa looked away from her. Every Saiyan had a policy about not showing weakness to others, and he was about to go back on Vegeta’s. “The prince is a good kid,” Nappa told her. “He’s never done anything to cause harm to anyone except for when his father forces him on purging missions. He has never taken a woman against her will, at all until you, that is. He blames himself for a lot of his father’s actions…because he’s not strong enough. None of us are. The king has this device that traps our energy inside our bodies. It’s painful, which is why everyone is so obedient to him. Vegeta has been training to overcome that little trinket’s power. He causes himself harm, not because it could make him stronger, but to punish himself for failing the people of the planet and other planets. Now he has taken you as a mate after doing something horrible to you and he hates himself more. He’s in the gravity machine right now, probably about to cause more harm to himself whether he realizes it or not.”

“But I haven’t tested it yet!” Bulma shouted, rushing out of the room to the lab, leaving Nappa behind mid-story.

* * *

She got there just in time, as the machine’s ventilation system was not working properly. Had it been a second later, the gravity chamber might have exploded. Bulma hit the emergency override switch and entered the gravity chamber.

Vegeta was on the ground, completely broken from having the gravity up so high. He had turned the level to its max, just to see how it felt. He was instantly dragged down to the ground, the gravity crushing him. If he had put his full strength into it, he could have turned the machine off, but he stopped caring once he hit the ground. Now, out of nowhere, he felt as light as feather.

His vision was clouded, but he knew someone was there next to him, holding a senzu bean to his lips. Vegeta managed to take the bean with his tongue. He felt his energy return to him, but he refused to open his eyes.

“Vegeta, please don’t do this,” Bulma whispered.

Vegeta’s eyes snapped open and he forced himself to sit up. He looked at her as if she were an illusion and not real, and moved his hand to touch her hair and face. She felt real, but he had to be dreaming. There was no way she’d be anywhere near him, not after what he had done to her.

“You’re not here,” he whispered.

“W-what?” Bulma asked confused. “Vegeta, I’m sitting right in front of you. Of course I’m here.”

“No,” he said weakly shaking his head. “No, you aren’t real. I pushed you away. You hate me.”

Bulma’s heart clenched. Vegeta was babbling stuff that didn’t make sense, almost as if he was losing his mind. “I don’t hate you, Vegeta,” she said, tears falling from her eyes. “I don’t think I ever could. I was just…just…”

“I hurt you,” he said leaning against her forehead. “I went back on my word. I betrayed you.”

“And I’ll get past it,” Bulma replied honestly. “We both will. I know what you made me.”

Vegeta’s eyes shifted down to the floor, but he kept his forehead against hers. He was breathing heavily, as if he was struggling to get air. Despite having the senzu bean, he still felt incredibly sick and hot. He wondered if it was the effects of having a mate who had rejected the other. It was not something he could have ever experienced in the past, so he couldn’t be certain.

“Vegeta, tell me what’s wrong,” Bulma demanded, stroking his hair.

Vegeta closed his eyes and his breathing started to return to normal. He relaxed against her, his mate. He had planned on keeping it a secret from her even though he knew it would slowly drive him insane, if he hadn’t been there already. The fact that she knew and that she was by his side helped a little bit, though he still felt immense pain in his heart and mind. He still wasn’t able to speak to her either.

“Let’s go, Vegeta,” Bulma ordered quietly.

Vegeta shook his head against hers. “No, I…I need to train,” he argued, though his voice was hoarse.

“You always train,” Bulma pointed out. “Plus, the gravity chambers ventilation system wasn’t working properly. It could have killed you.”

“That’s the least I deserve for everything I’ve done,” Vegeta whispered.

“No, Vegeta, you don’t deserve any punishments,” she told him. “You have already been punished enough. Today you are going to get your ass back in your room and eat and sleep. Only if you feel better in the morning can you train, deal?”

Vegeta forced himself to nod and let Bulma lead him out of the chamber. He still looked like his eyes were glazed over. Bulma would be surprised if he remembered anything that just happened the next day. It was bad enough he was already delirious and hot with fever. Bulma still didn’t know what to think about any of this. Apparently rejection by one’s mate led to serious illness. She would have to make a mental note of that.

* * *

Nappa stood up when he saw Bulma helping the prince to his room. He quickly covered his smile at the fact that the girl had gone to help him. Despite the rift the king had caused between them, he could tell she would take care of the prince. That would be enough for Vegeta to form any kind of bond with Bulma. Vegeta did not need her for pleasure or even for show. He just needed her for comfort, as she needed him. “Is there anything I can get for either of you?” Nappa asked Bulma seeing as Vegeta was still dazed.

“Something to eat for both of us,” Bulma replied. “And that tea…what was it called?”

“Kamormiru tea?” Bulma nodded. “You got it, princess.”

“My father doesn’t know,” Vegeta muttered under his breath. “Do not say anything.”

Nappa and Bulma shrugged to one another before Nappa went to go to the kitchen, though Nappa knew what Vegeta had meant. The king would not react well if he found out Vegeta had taken an alien woman as a mate, not to mention one deemed as his concubine. No other Saiyan would pursue her, which had most likely been Vegeta’s plan all along. His father, though, was a different story entirely for he had no morals. The Saiyan guard sneered in disgust at the thought of their king. He hoped Vegeta would be able to pull himself together and be able to take the man down.

Bulma turned to Vegeta and put her hand on his shoulder. “What doesn’t he know, Vegeta?” she asked once Nappa was gone.

“That you’re my mate,” Vegeta said in a whisper. “He would not react well. I don’t want him to hurt you or take you away.”

“Then he won’t find out,” she responded quietly. “It will be another of our many secrets.”

Vegeta nodded and lied down on his bed, curling up within himself. Bulma frowned. This was the first time she had seen him so vulnerable and it was so off-putting. She was still slightly nervous around him, but they were mates now. He wouldn’t hurt her again, right?

Bulma swallowed back her fears and forced her rational mind to take over. She lied down next to Vegeta on the bed and kissed the Saiyan on the cheek. “It will be okay, Vegeta,” she told him. “We’ll get through all of this together.”

“Together…” Vegeta repeated the foreign word before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

When Vegeta woke up, it was dark, and he had no idea how he got back into his room or bed. Part of him thought he remembered being with Bulma, but that couldn’t be. He still wasn’t ready to face her, and she probably wanted to be as far away from him as possible. At that thought, the prince felt an ache in his heart. As he combated the feeling of rejection, memories of the gravity chamber and what happened after came back to him. _Bulma!_ he thought in alarm.

He panicked and started looking around, only to find her curled up against him. Vegeta stared at the young girl in shock, not understand why she would be this close to him. Surely she wanted nothing to do with him. She had to be insane to appear this relaxed beside him. He didn’t realize he was still staring at her until he saw her eyes staring back at him.

“You’re awake,” she whispered, before pushing herself off him. “I had food and tea brought in, although I’m sure everything’s cold by now. How are you feeling?”

Bulma pressed her hand against his forehead and Vegeta’s face heated up as he blushed. She didn’t seem to notice. “You still feel a little warm. I’ll be right back.”

Vegeta watched Bulma walk into the washroom and wet a small cloth. She also filled a bowl that was brought into the room with water and then returned to him on the bed. She put the wet cloth against his forehead and then wet another cloth in the bowl. She ran it all over his hot skin, and he had to admit that it felt nice.

“Bulma…” Bulma looked up at him, waiting for him to continue. He couldn’t find his voice with her innocent, blue eyes on him. “I…”

She put her finger to his lips. “I’ll forgive you, but only if you promise not to do it again until I’m ready.”

Vegeta nodded as she continued to move the cold cloth over his skin. When she was done, she handed him something to eat. He didn’t really want to eat, but he was starting to feel a little better about everything with Bulma sitting next to him. She gave him a hopeful smile and handed him more food, which he forced himself to eat. Even though he did not fully satisfy his hungry, he told her he did before lying back down on the bed. When Bulma turned over so her back was facing him, Vegeta put his hand on her shoulder. When Bulma tensed, he pulled away. He mentally cursed himself for trying to get close to her, but he just wanted to remind himself that he wasn’t dreaming. He was surprised when he felt Bulma pull his arm over her body, both their hands resting on her stomach.

“Goodnight, Vegeta,” Bulma whispered.

Vegeta didn’t respond. Instead he just let out a breath of relief and held her. All that was going through his mind the entire day was how much he hurt her and how much of a failure he was, but now he felt some of his worth returning. If Bulma could forgive and accept him, then maybe he wasn’t as far gone as he thought. Only time would tell, but until then, he would do everything he could to make it up to Bulma and regain whatever trust he had had.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters
> 
> Now, I did not create any words for the Saiyan language. I looked up Japanese words and translations for phrases since I didn’t want to attempt making up a language.

Vegeta woke up, again calm and at ease; yet he still felt tired and weak. He knew that he was in no condition to train. Shaking his head, he hid his face in his pillow thinking about how stupid he was for trying to train himself to death the day before. Vegeta knew full well what he was doing when he took Bulma as a mate. It was for her safety, but not his. He knew that once he felt her fear, hatred, and rejection of him, that the pain would be too great and he’d try something like that. It was just how Saiyans were, but only Saiyans who truly cared about their mates.

Speaking of, he turned his head against the pillow and stared at Bulma, still mesmerized. She forgave him. He never felt more relieved about anything in his life. She knew they were mates and she wasn’t angry at him for it. Nappa must have explained it to her since he hadn’t. Part of him was angry that she found out, because it ruined his plans of keeping her in the dark; but he was thankful, because Bulma came to help him, even though he didn’t deserve it.

Again, Vegeta didn’t notice blue eyes staring back at him. Bulma looked up at him, worry etched on her features. She took her hand and gently caressed his cheek. Their eyes met. It made Bulma a little nervous, but she knew she needed to start working on getting over her fears.

Vegeta wasn’t thinking at the moment, and pulled Bulma in for a short kiss. He felt her tense again, but this time he stayed holding her until she relaxed. “Good morning,” he whispered to his mate.

“Good morning,” Bulma said, trying to focus on the fact that his kiss felt good instead of her own worries. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to train today.” Vegeta shook his head and Bulma sighed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. You need to relax today and I need to go fix that machine so you don’t get hurt.”

Bulma was about to leave the bed, but Vegeta’s hand stopped her. She looked down at him and his expression betrayed that of a small child afraid to lose something. “Don’t leave, please.” Bulma’s heart nearly broke at the anxiety in his voice. Vegeta was strong, arrogant, rough around the edges, but never did he ever act like he had acted today and the day before. “Please.”

“Vegeta, I have a job to do, remember?” Bulma pointed out. “I need to help you.”

“You can help me by staying with me, right now,” Vegeta replied, starting to feel the pain of rejection again.

“I can’t…I…” Bulma felt it, not the pain, but she knew Vegeta was in pain. _How come I didn’t feel this yesterday when he was so sick?_ “I will.”

Vegeta perked up a bit at that, as Bulma got back into the bed. He quickly put her arms around her, pulling her into him and nuzzling against her. She felt his tail wrapping around her as well. For a moment, she thought she’d be terrified, but she wasn’t. She actually liked the closeness. This is the kind of thing she always pictured going through with a boyfriend, minus the aliens, tyrants, near death, rape, and permanent bonding.

“My yuubutsu,” Vegeta muttered against her forehead. “Anata wa, watashi ni tarinai subete o oginatte kureru.”

“What?” Bulma asked, trying to figure out what he was saying. Instead of getting an answer, she was met with Vegeta falling back to sleep. She just stared at him, perplexed. Then she heard someone come into the room and looked up to see Queen Kalina standing in the doorway.

“I never thought it was possible,” she stated.

“Never thought what was possible?”

“My son is in love,” she whispered happily. “Though, I wouldn’t be surprised if he never said it.”

“Do you know what he did say?”

The queen nodded. “Loosely translated, he said ‘My beautiful woman above others, you complete me.’ But it’s much deeper than that. The connection, I mean. Words cannot truly describe the bond between two mates.”

“What about you and the king?” Bulma asked, regretting it when the queen frowned. “I’m sorry.”

Queen Kalina flashed her a sad smile. “It’s alright, my child. It isn’t killing either of us because we never truly bonded. It was an arranged mating. He never truly cared about me and, in all honesty, I was only doing my duty as a queen and mother. My children keep me going every day. But you two…you’ve bonded, and in such a short time.” She sighed before frowning. “Nappa told me about what happened. I wish I had enough strength to rip my husband’s head from his shoulders for hurting either of you like that.” The queen patted Vegeta’s head, and he turned over and curled up into Bulma. “He’s a good boy, you know. He tries his hardest not to make others suffer. He learned from his grandfather. He would have never willingly…”

Bulma knew what she was trying to say and she knew that it was true. Vegeta didn’t want to rape her, but it didn’t change the fact that her only two times were both rapes. “I just can’t go through it again.”

The queen nodded in understanding. She wasn’t going to tell Bulma this, nor her children, but both Vegeta and Tarble had been born from that situation. She loved her kids to death and wouldn’t trade them for the world, but she hated her husband for touching her. She did not want Bulma to feel that way towards her son.

“Please, don’t hate him,” Queen Kalina pleaded. Bulma frowned at the fact that everyone kept saying that, but she continued to listen. “It obvious that he’s fragile, more fragile than any of us knew. Yes, Saiyans can become suicidal when rejected by their mate, but it usually takes weeks before they start showing those tendencies. For Vegeta it took hours, which means…”

“Which means what?” Bulma inquired. She really wanted to know.

The queen looked away from her. It was hard for her to admit this to anyone, because she wanted better for her son, but Bulma needed to know. “It means his father finally pushed him too far, and my son feels like he has no reason to live. He’s given up hope on his own life.”

Bulma couldn’t believe it. Vegeta was so strong, and yet he wanted to give up on everything. She was the only thing keeping him from the feeling of hopelessness. “I don’t know what to say…”

“You don’t have to say anything,” the queen replied, “just please don’t reject him. He needs you. I think he always has.”

Bulma nodded and the queen took her leave. She looked at Vegeta’s calm face, pondering what he was feeling. Bulma knew she was depressed from losing her family and home, but she never considered what Vegeta was going through. It must have been frustrating for him, not being able to fight his father. Maybe his pain came from never knowing if his mother and brother would be alive when he returned home. And now, his first time, being forced upon him in a way that made him nearly lose his mind. _This poor guy,_ Bulma thought sadly.

Then she noticed Vegeta’s face contort in pain. “Don’t leave,” he whispered. “I can’t lose you.”

“You won’t,” Bulma whispered, kissing his cheek. “I promise.”

His tail tightened around her waist and his face calmed again. Bulma looked over him again. He didn’t seem that frightening to her anymore, definitely not like the guy he pretended to be when they landed or the one he was forced to be the other night. She knew she had a lot to work through, but she could honestly say she was willing to work on it with him. “You complete me, too,” she whispered in his ear.

* * *

Vegeta woke up an hour later and looked down to find Bulma snuggled up against his chest. Unbeknownst to him, Bulma felt him move and gently rubbed the tail he wrapped around her waist. She looked up when she heard him growl, but saw that his face was incredibly relaxed as his chest vibrated. She stopped for a minute, and he looked down at her with slightly opened eyes.

“Why are you growling?” Bulma asked.

Vegeta tried to cover his blushing face by looking away. “I wasn’t.”

Bulma’s eyes widened when she realized that it wasn’t a growl, but a purr. “Oh my God, that’s adorable!” She said with a wide smile. Bulma momentarily forgot all their problems and moved to pet his tail again. Vegeta tried to fight purring again and yanked his tail off of her. He then smirked dangerously, but playfully at Bulma.

“W-What are you thinking?” she questioned nervously.

Vegeta’s face became even more playful as he took his hand and stroked the center of her back down her spine. Bulma shivered at the sensation, and fell against him. “I wanted to return the favor,” he told her. To Bulma’s surprise, he already had knowledge of all her weak spots. Bulma flashed him a half-smile. “Would you like to go somewhere?”

Bulma tilted her head, confused by his question. “What do you mean? I’m still under the pretense of concubine. I have to stay here.”

Vegeta shook his head. “Only my father can’t know about you. Anyone else in the kingdom can know. No one would turn against us like that.”

Bulma felt a little insulted, but knew there had to be a reason. Vegeta felt her emotions and reassured her. “My father has already ordered that I not mate with you. I told him I hadn’t to make sure he didn’t take you from me. He would…” Vegeta’s expression grew dark as the rest of his statement went unspoken. “I hate that man…”

“I am right there with you,” Bulma said in derision. After hearing the threat his father made with a clear head, Bulma understood. It was ridiculous that his father would threaten to take her if he didn’t “use” her and then threaten to take her away if he mated with her. She softened slightly and spoke gently as she changed the subject. “I’d love to go somewhere with you, but where?”

Vegeta smirked. “You’ll see.”

* * *

He took her around the kingdom, secretly introducing her to his people. Bulma was shocked to see how everyone acted around him. It was much different from what she had seen in the king’s throne room with the soldiers and guards. Many children would also go up to him, asking him to play with them. He respectfully declined, patting the heads of the small children. He flashed Bulma a half-smile, making her heart flutter. _He’s so good with children, and with all the people._ She would have never expect this.

“Prince Vegeta,” one of the men said. Bulma did a double-take when she saw that the man looked like Kakarot. “I have not been working for the last week. How do your mother and brother fair?”

The prince’s expression grew serious. “They are both fine, Bardock; however, I fear my father is getting more violent and I worry for their safety.”

“I’ll be back in the palace soon enough, my prince. My mate has just been ill.”

Vegeta nodded in understanding. “Kakarot informed me. I hope she is well.” 

“Thank you, my prince. It means a lot.”

Vegeta nodded and walked back over to Bulma who looked perplexed. “Kakarot’s father. He is a doctor for the palace, but he hasn’t been there this week. Kakarot’s mother is sick.”

“Is it serious?” Bulma asked. Vegeta face darkened.

“Come, we must return before father suspects something.”

Bulma didn’t argue with him. She knew better than to argue. She had just been grateful that he brought her to meet his people, her people now, she figured.

* * *

When they arrived at the palace, Vegeta flew up to his balcony and set her down. Queen Kalina was in the room, waiting for them nervously.

“Mother, what’s wrong?” Vegeta asked.

“Vegeta, he found out,” the queen replied guiltily.

“Found out what?” Vegeta asked, hoping that she wasn’t talking about the fact that Bulma was his mate.

Before Queen Kalina could answer, the king slammed the door open and glared at his son and his “concubine.”

“When were you going to tell me she’s a scientific genius?”

Both Bulma and Vegeta paled. _How did he know?_ both asked themselves.

“What are you talking about?” Vegeta growled.

The king threw down a small folder of blueprints, thankfully only minute devices that had more to deal with the planet’s defense rather than the gravity machine.

“How was I to know she was?” Vegeta lied. “She doesn’t say anything.”

The king threw the folder down in front of Vegeta’s feet and Vegeta picked it up, not taking his eyes off his father. He opened the folder and was impressed by the different shield systems Bulma was working on. He looked over to her with genuine shock. He hadn’t expected her to want to help protect the planet, at least not before today. He figured she was just trying to help him stop his father and that was it. And she had worked on everything so quickly.

“Very impressive,” Vegeta stated. He turned back to his father. “But that still doesn’t change her position. I alone will decide what to do with her inventions and talents.”

The king glared at Vegeta and reached for his little device. Both Vegeta and the queen’s eyes widened. They knew they’d be able to handle it, but they didn’t know what it would do to Bulma.

“Please, my king, let’s not be rash,” Queen Kalina said to her mate. “I’m sure Vegeta just doesn’t want to lose his…possession. I’m sure he will make the right decision based on what is best for the planet and our people.”

The king pulled his hand away from his cloak and looked down at his mate with a smirk. “I believe you’re right, but…” He looked over to Vegeta and Bulma with a menacing fire in his eyes. “If you make the wrong decision, the woman will be punished.”

Vegeta growled as his father left the room with his unwilling mother. She glanced back at her son and his mate with sadness and fear in her eyes. When the door shut, Bulma freaked out.

“What was that about?” she asked in alarm.

Vegeta sighed and shook his head. “I have no idea how he got that, but he did. We need to be careful. If he is around you too much, he will be able to tell that I mated with you. Saiyan males sense these things, which is why I did it. I…didn’t want anyone else to harm you.”

“Vegeta…”

“I also didn’t want my father coming after you like this. He wants you to follow through with these inventions I’m sure. You would be working under his command, but I told him I would make the decisions, so he shouldn’t come near you. But we all know he doesn’t care about what he should or shouldn’t do.”

Bulma frowned and then thought about the queen’s reaction to leaving with her mate. “Vegeta, why did your mom seem so scared in leaving?”

Vegeta tensed, which he seemed to do often. Within next minute, he punched part of the wall and broke it. Bulma jumped back, nervous of his random burst of anger, which caused her to think that she had done something wrong. Vegeta sensed her hesitation and turned to her with an apologetic expression. He pulled her to him, keeping a strong grip on her as he attempted to rein in his anger. “Because he’s a bastard, planning to do to her what I promised never to do to you again.”

Bulma couldn’t hide her shock. She knew that the queen had a bad relationship with her husband, but she never expected this. Saiyans had such good hearing too. Did that mean Vegeta and Tarble had to be exposed to that? She really hoped not, especially Tarble since he was only ten. “It’s wrong,” she said, forcing herself not to cry. Vegeta only nodded in response, holding onto his mate tightly, trying to ignore the sound of his mother crying from the other side of the palace.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters

Time passed as Bulma continued to perfect the gravity chamber. She was still concerned about the possibility of the chamber overheating. For two weeks, she still couldn’t isolate the problem. That angered her greatly, more so because she had an angry prince to deal with. He was starting to get more agitated with her by the day, and neither wanted to deal with this animosity. They were supposed to be working cooperatively; however, Bulma learned that Saiyans don’t cooperate well.

“So, genius, how come you can’t figure out a simple problem?” Vegeta taunted angrily.

Bulma glared at him. “Do you want to try and fix it, because if you did it would probably blow up in your face. My idea was experimental. I had never attempted anything like it before, so I had no idea what problems would arise.”

“Um, sissy?” Tarble called out from behind the chamber. His tailed was wrapped around his leg as if he had done something wrong.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Bulma asked. She and Tarble had been able to build a strong relationship. He was just an innocent little boy. When he had found out that she was his brother’s mate, he took to her even more. The only problem was the king couldn’t find out, and everyone was worried about the ten year old keeping quiet about it.

“I think I broke something…”

Vegeta muttered something in his native language that made Tarble tear up. Bulma rolled her eyes, not wanting to know what the little exchange was all about. Instead, she went to go look at what Tarble was talking about. She was stunned. The kid had figured out what the problem was.

“What is this thing?” Bulma said holding up a rounded sphere. The metal was warm, nearly hot. Whatever it was could have been causing the problem.

Vegeta’s eyes widened. “The power core?” he said questioningly. “What’s that still doing in there?”

Bulma shot him another glare. “I didn’t have a blueprint of the ship, Vegeta, so I didn’t know it was in here. The chamber has been running on both this core and the energy created from the spin. No wonder why it kept overheating. I’ll have to make an adjustment on the weight now that it’s been removed, but it should be running in an hour or so.” Bulma smiled over to Tarble. “Whatever you did fixed the machine, kid.” Tarble smiled and then ran out of the lab with his tail rapidly wagging behind him.

Bulma looked over to Vegeta who was smirking, obviously pleased that he would be able to use the gravity chamber during his training session tonight. The best part was that it was his night to train alone meaning no one would be there to hold him back and he could start pushing himself right away.

“Funny how a little boy could figure it out by accident and I couldn’t,” Bulma said laughing at herself.

“Not that much of a genius,” Vegeta joked again. “Though, I must ask where you came up with this idea in the first place.”

“Well,” Bulma started sadly, “it was actually an idea my father began developing a few years ago. He never implemented it because human bodies are so much more fragile than a Saiyans. He made a smaller model and tested it on an animal. I was so mad at him for hurting the animal that he never tried to test it again. Without data to present, nothing like that would have ever been able to be approved for sale. Anyway, I figured you guys might be able to handle it with how much abuse you go through and living on a planet with ten times Earth’s gravity. Just don’t turn it too high right away. Work yourself up gradually. I don’t want to have to roll you back to your room again.”

Vegeta wanted to say it was their room, but he couldn’t say that either. Bulma still didn’t feel at home or comfortable there. He even went so far as to get a separate bed for himself as he had originally planned, but the memories of that horrible night still replayed themselves every time they looked around the room. They both hated the reminders.

It would draw attention to his father if they switched rooms, so Vegeta sucked up his guilt and Bulma pretended not to fear him. They just knew what the other was feeling, though, and as long as they felt that way, that room would never be theirs.

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Vegeta snapped arrogantly. Even though that wasn’t true, he was still going to keep saying that.

“Yeah right,” Bulma muttered. “So that wasn’t blood all over the washroom this morning. What did you do? Get yourself mauled by a kuma?”

Vegeta scoffed. “Like I’d ever get mauled by anything.”

Bulma rolled her eyes at his behavior. _Except yourself, you idiot._

“I’ll leave you to fixing that blasted machine. It better be ready within the hour.”

“Whatever,” Bulma muttered as the prince left her to get back to work.

* * *

It was interesting how much could change in two weeks. Queen Kalina was highly concerned about the attitudes her son and Bulma had towards one another. Bonded mates were supposed to be close, not pushing each other away; however, they did not fit that stereotype and yet they were both still functioning. Maybe the two just needed to be in each other’s presence to feel their connection, which was also strange.

They had gotten so close so quickly that the queen had finally felt relief from constantly worrying for her son but, as the weeks passed by, the tension and animosity the two felt towards their situation shone through and lingered. She knew that Vegeta would never get over his guilt, which had been his father’s plan all along. He had admitted it to her one night when he was drunk. The reason he made that deal with their son was to control the future of the planet. He knew the boy would be traumatized and probably never mate with another or bear any children. That would hinder him when he took the throne, if that would ever happen.

He was wrong, though. Their son did take a mate. The only problem was neither of them could handle that and now constantly found ways to get on each other’s nerves. The love/hate relationship was strange, but it was still a relationship. Kalina could only hope that the two would grow enough to eliminate that hate.

“Your majesty,” her personal guard greeted after entering the room.

“Yes, Rhuba?”

“The king requests your presence in the throne room.”

The queen sighed before reluctantly standing. _This can’t be good._

* * *

Vegeta was angry. He was planning on getting a head start on training, but instead he was being summoned by his father. _As if I don’t deal with him too much as it is,_ he thought bitterly. He had this overwhelming sense of dread and knew that whatever his father had to say was not going to be good.

When he entered the throne room, he saw his mother and Tarble standing before his father. “Vegeta, my boy, so good of you to join us. I have news.”

“What?” Vegeta asked roughly.

“Tarble, step forward.”

Tarble did as he was told, but his tail gave away the emotion he was feeling, fear. “Yes, father?” he said weakly.

“In one month, you will be turning eleven,” he stated the known fact. Vegeta paled at what his father was implying. “This means you will no longer be considered a child under the law and will be going on your first purging mission with the soldiers.”

“W-what?” Tarble asked, unsure of what he heard.

Vegeta shook his head. His first mission had been when he turned eleven and he had hated every minute of it. It was at the beginning of his father’s rule where the soldiers were still somewhat fond of him before he showed his monstrous side. They thought they were doing the greatest thing in the world and had enjoyed the bloodshed and freedom that came from the purging mission. Vegeta had been somewhat hardened before the mission, trying not to focus on the death of his grandfather and learning to conceal his emotions. Tarble was not hardened. If he was sent with a crew he didn’t know, he’d never survive. He would never survive the trauma.

“That will be all. You’re dismissed.”

The queen could not speak. She knew her husband was cruel, but to send Tarble away on a mission when he proved to not be much of a fighter at all was like sending him to his death. But what could she say? If she tried to fight him, her children would suffer more, and she would not allow that to happen. “Tarble, let’s go,” she said calmly.

Vegeta knew he should have followed them, but instead he stayed. “What is it, boy?” the king asked while glaring at his eldest son.

“I would like to request to be placed on the roster of the men going with him,” Vegeta told him. “He may need some on the job training that only I could give him.”

The king pondered his son’s argument and then smirked. “Why should I allow this? What is in it for me?”

Vegeta had to think of something good to get his father let him go with Tarble. Just wanting to keep the kid alive would have never been enough to convince him. He would never throw Bulma under the bus either. He had learned that lesson the hard way. The only thing he could think to offer was himself.

“I’ll do three solo missions upon return to whatever planets you want.”

His father’s eyes flashed with amusement and greed. “You’ve got yourself a deal son, but aren’t you worried what might happen to your little friend in that time?”

Vegeta growled. “You will not touch her,” he said menacingly.

The king chuckled. “Oh course not, but I will be using her for other services. If her inventions are ever lacking, you’re not worried that I won’t accidentally lose my temper?”

“If you leave her unharmed, I will bring back whatever resources you need from two rebelling planets.” Vegeta knew his father was frustrated with the growing rebellion in their quadrant and not being able to import certain resources.

“Only, this mission along with your brother’s will take two years.”

“Tarble’s will only be a month or two,” Vegeta reminded him, knowing how the process of training to purge worked. “I will return with him and train for an extra month for this mission. If I don’t stop I can get everything completed in eight months.” _I hope…_

The king nodded, though he didn’t know how his son would be able to get enough strength to purge on his own yet be done so quickly. “I will hold you to that. If not, you know the penalty if you fail.”

Vegeta nodded solemnly before taking his leave. His father had had a point to warn him of his failure but, with the strides he would make training in the gravity chamber, he’d be able to complete the missions in this timetable. Who knew? Maybe in his travels, he would find the secret to beating the tōgoku. Well, a Saiyan could dream, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry to all my cute and fluffy moment lovers for this chapter. I’m sure you can imagine that emotions were high in the last chapter. Now that they’ve had time to process everything, they’re back to being uneasy around each other. However, more trouble is on the way, and they’re going to need each other more than ever. Too bad Vegeta’s going to be MIA back on his home planet for a while.
> 
> Kuma: bear in Japanese (thank you dictionary)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters

Vegeta had joined Tarble on his first purging mission. Thankfully, the planet was full of weak inhabitants and with Vegeta being there, the mission was completed in a couple of weeks. Tarble managed to kill a few weak inhabitants, but it was always in self-defense. The other soldiers pitied the young Saiyan prince. They knew that the boy never had the proper training like Vegeta had had before his first mission. They made it known to Vegeta that if Tarble was ever sent on a purging mission, they would not force him to harm anyone and would keep it quiet from the king. The other soldiers respected Vegeta more than their king, and they would rather be on his good side since he was their only hope of freedom.

He now found himself alone on a spaceship to fulfill the rest of his promise. It was painful for him, as he had not even told Bulma he was leaving. She didn’t know about the mission with Tarble and he knew that being gone for so long would make her hate him more. He kept shaking off that thought, though, because it would kill him if he harped on it. He could only hope that Bulma would understand when he returned.

* * *

It had been two weeks since Vegeta had disappeared from the palace. Bulma actually felt good about it, not because he was gone and didn’t tell her he was going, but because it gave her time to herself to think and adjust. She hadn’t had that time before and she thought that maybe that was what was keeping her on edge. After all, she had been through so much in a short time and she hadn’t been able to process anything. Now she finally had her chance to go through the motions.

For the most part, she never saw the king. Nappa was her go between since the tyrannical ruler was under the impression that she still couldn’t talk. He was the one who presented her defense devices to the king. It was better that way. Vegeta’s warning still fresh in her mind, Bulma knew never to spend too much time around his father. He was still oblivious to the fact that they were mates.

When Tarble returned from his purging mission, he sought Bulma out a lot. The young boy was terrified with the things he had seen. It was thanks to him that Bulma knew why Vegeta had left and where he was now. “I heard him telling one of the other soldiers the deal he made with father,” Tarble explained. “He said he’d be away for seven months since, thanks to him, the purge went by so quickly.”

Bulma shivered at the thought of her mate killing so many defenseless people, but she pushed that to the back of her mind. It was not Vegeta’s choice, plus he was doing it to keep his brother safe. Now this other mission he was on, Tarble told her that it was to protect the both of them. Something swelled inside of Bulma when he told her. It was a mixture of pride in her mate’s bravery and dedication, and then some unidentified emotion that made her feel alive. “So seven months, huh?” Bulma clarified. Tarble frowned and his tail drooped. He nodded to Bulma who was working on some blueprints. “Well, we’ll just have to hold down the fort here without him for now. You want to help me with some of these shield prototypes?”

Tarble’s face lit up. “Can I?” he asked to make sure she was serious.

Bulma laughed lightheartedly. “Of course. We need to distract ourselves while we wait for Vegeta.”

“Okay,” Tarble said happily running over to Bulma. She smiled and picked the eleven year old up to sit on her desk.

“Man, you’re getting heavy,” Bulma told him. “Must have been all that muscle you developed training with your brother.”

Tarble flashed her an appreciative smile. Other than his mother and brother, no one ever tried to dissuade his thinking from his father’s words. It wasn’t something his father kept hidden from others; he thought Tarble was weak and a disgrace. Bulma was shocked when the young Saiyan jumped on top of her and hugged her. “Thanks, Bulma,” he whispered.

Queen Kalina happened to walk in and took in the scene with a smile on her face. Bulma didn’t notice she was even there. “What brought this on?” Bulma asked the little boy.

“My dad says I’m weak,” Tarble said sadly.

“Your dad says a lot of things,” Bulma replied softly. “It doesn’t mean any of them are true, okay?”

Tarble smiled and nodded. “So, blueprints?”

“Yes, let’s get started,” Bulma said excitedly. She ruffled the little boy’s hair before they got started. Queen Kalina left the room with an even bigger grin then she had before. She really liked having Bulma around. She brought out the best in her two boys.

* * *

Vegeta landed on the planet, Kryoo. It was nearly uninhabited, a slave planet to their empire. Vegeta wanted to save this stop for last because he really didn’t want to be surrounded by the “resource” his father wanted him to pick up. However, it was the closest planet to where he was and far away from all the other planets his father wanted him to…visit. The sooner he could get this mission done, the sooner he could be back in the palace with Bulma. He could handle the uncomfortable situation if he kept that image in mind.

Vegeta walked into the main building and looked down to the tiny leader of the planet. “My father requests more women for the harem,” Vegeta growled with disgust, refusing to make eye contact. He knew this was going to be a long trip.

* * *

Two months had passed and Bulma was taken some much needed time to herself. She still couldn’t leave the palace like when Vegeta was there, but instead she took the time to rest and pamper herself. It was another way of distracting herself until Vegeta returned home. The truth was she missed the Saiyan prince.

The time apart had done wonders for her. There wasn’t that tense aura surrounding her anymore as when they slept in the same room and, now that she had brought herself to relax, all of her bad memories of this room were just that, memories that she felt she could bury now.

The only ones she was worried about now were Vegeta, Tarble, and Queen Kalina. They were the ones who had to suffer the king’s wrath firsthand. _There has to be something I can do to help them,_ Bulma thought to herself. Never being one to yield, she hated the position she was placed in and she knew it had everything to do with this stupid device everyone called the tōgoku. The problem was that she didn’t know how the device worked and, without detailed knowledge of its mechanics, she wouldn’t be able to invent anything to stop it. _Unless…_

“Princess,” Nappa whispered into the room. That seemed to be the only volume Saiyans couldn’t hear. Even Vegeta was always quiet with her.

Bulma nodded to him and he brought her lunch in. She placed the book she was reading down on a nightstand and sat up.

“The prince is making good time,” Nappa told her knowing that she was probably worried about his safety.

“Is he alright?” Bulma asked proving Nappa right.

“He is, but very unhappy,” Nappa told her. “The first planet he stopped on was Kryoo. That’s where the king’s concubines are imported from.” Bulma tensed thinking about that. “He’s also been to Planet Arlia and successfully purged it, as well as stopping a rebellion on Planet Hera. Usually this type of mission takes longer than what the prince has been doing. I guess he really wants to come back to you.”

Bulma smiled. “Or the gravity machine,” she joked.

Nappa chuckled. “That too,” he teased half-heartedly. “How are you handling the separation?”

“Fine,” Bulma replied. “I just miss him. I’m keeping busy though so that I can distract myself from the fact that he’s not here.”

“Well, if you need a distraction…” Nappa started nervously, suggesting that he was there to offer her just that.

“What were you thinking?” Bulma asked skeptically, uncertain of where he was going with this.

“Bardock, Kakarot’s father, is the doctor in the palace. Have you met him?” Bulma nodded. “Well, we have been talking. The people really want to see you again. I can go talk to the king and tell them that in order for your shields to work, you need to study Planet Vegeta’s atmosphere for the day. That way you can have another day outside.”

“I would like that,” Bulma said with a smile. She was thinking about the time Vegeta took her out to meet the people and how calm he was around the other Saiyans. It was so different from how tense he was in his own home.

 _“It’s not a home,”_ she remembered him telling her one night. _“It’s a prison.”_

“I’ll go run it by the king now while you eat,” Nappa suggested.

“Sounds good,” Bulma responded as she began nibbling on her lunch.

* * *

“For the last time, LEAVE ME ALONE!” Vegeta shouted at one of the women who had been trying to come on to him the entire trip. He knew he couldn’t tell them he had a mate. They had no loyalty to him and would tell his father in a heartbeat, but that didn’t mean he wanted them anywhere near him. Not only did he just want one woman, but he was still disgusted with himself for the events that occurred. The whole situation was frustrating.

He sat in his room, staring out into space, while thinking of Bulma. He was wondering if she even cared that he was gone or if she was happy that she didn’t have to see him. The thought caused a pain in his chest, and he had to try and convince himself to stop thinking that way. Without her there to set him straight, he could lapse into depression again and now it was even more dangerous because he was throwing himself into combat with soldiers who wouldn’t aid him if he injured himself. He just wished he could hear her voice, even for a second, just so that he knew she was okay and would still be there when he got back.

Then he thought of his father. He clenched his fists in anger when he thought of how his father was controlling him using her. He didn’t even know he had taken the Earthling as a mate. Speaking of Earth, he remembered he was in that quadrant. The prince was still curious about what had happened to the planet that he had been assigned to purge. _Maybe a quick detour wouldn’t hurt._

He landed on the blue and green rock and told the women on the ship not to go anywhere, because he would find them. They nodded their agreement and watched him leave.

It didn’t look any different from the last time he had been there. Everything was still destroyed and rundown. There were no signs of any other life form anywhere. Whoever had purged the planet had not been back to take it, not that Vegeta cared. He only came for one thing. _Bulma,_ he thought as he made her way back to her old home, the place where he found her.

He didn’t know why he felt like ransacking her house, but part of him felt that she deserved to have more than just a blanket knit by her mother and her memories. He took everything the seemed important: pictures, jewelry, clothes, documents, anything that could remind Bulma of her home and family.

He was stunned when he found something that looked strange to him. He read the label. _What’s a sonogram?_ he asked himself. It didn’t look like much, but he took it anyway. If Bulma didn’t want it, she could get rid of it.

He returned back to the ship with bags that he had found full of stuff. The women were curious but did not want to get on the prince’s bad side. They knew what he was capable of and it worried them. Vegeta could feel their anxiety rolling off them in waves. It reminded him of Bulma after he hurt her. He walked past them, but stopped and said, “I am not my father. You have nothing to fear from me.” And with that, he went back into his quarters to store the earthly treasures he gathered for Bulma.

* * *

“But sire, for her shields to work, she needs to make sure they agree with the atmosphere and high temperatures on the planet,” Nappa explained after the king started to deny his request.

“And she, the girl who cannot speak, told you this?” the king asked skeptically.

“She wrote it down,” Nappa lied convincingly. “Just give her two or three hours. I will accompany her.”

“You and another soldier,” the king ordered. “Onior, enter.”

Onior did as he was commanded and entered the throne room. He knelt down, hoping that the king had not called him in to kill him as an example for something. “Yes, your majesty?” he asked doing his best not to sound hesitant. Luckily for him, he succeeded.

“You will accompany Nappa and the scientist girl out into the city so she can conduct her experiments from now on.”

“Yes, sire,” Onior replied. He and Nappa looked to one another and then left to get Bulma.

“You are never to say anything to the king,” Nappa said in a whisper.

“I would not betray my prince or princess like that,” Onior told him. “The prince has suffered enough. I will not be the reason he loses his life.”

Nappa nodded in acceptance. He knew how the other soldiers felt about their king. If it weren’t for that device, they would have rallied against him years ago. Hell, the prince was stronger than his father and could have easily taken the throne if not for the tōgoku. He could only imagine how frustrating it was for Vegeta to have the power to end the misery, but not being able to use it. Right now they were just hoping that the king would die by natural means.

* * *

Bulma had gathered her shield prototypes, even though her completed shields were locked away. If she had the unfortunate opportunity of running into the king, she needed to look busy.

Nappa and another soldier came into her room. The other soldier introduced himself as Onior. After explaining the time limit, the two took her to Bardock and he smiled at the girl. “It is good to see you again, princess,” he said quietly. “The rest of my family looks forward to meeting you.”

Bulma smiled back at him and let the three Saiyans lead her out of the palace. Bardock led them to his home. He wanted to make the stop before they walked over to the square. It was a small home for a family she knew to be large. She wondered why the palace doctor whose sons fought for the empire would have such terrible living quarters. As if hearing her thoughts, Bardock said, “It is because of mine and Gine’s ranking. We used to fight in the army, but we were considered to be low-class warriors, and Gine wasn’t much of a fighter anyway. Our sons are much stronger than we are, but they choose to stay and help care for their mother.”

“What is wrong with her?” Bulma asked in concern.

Bardock smiled sadly. “Giving birth to a Saiyan is physically taxing,” he explained. “I mean, it’s fine if one gives birth to one child, but when she gave birth a second time, it was to twins, Kakarot and Turles. It took a toll on her body, but there weren’t any noticeable complications until recently.”

“I’m sorry,” Bulma whispered sadly in reply.

Bardock smiled at her and placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. “Don’t be. We have three amazing boys who make us proud. Anyway, go to the kitchen for a moment. Kakarot’s wife really wants to meet you.”

Bulma looked to him in shock, not just because of Kakarot being mated, but because he used the word “wife” instead of “mate.” Her curious mind took over and she ran into the kitchen and saw a tall women, though shorter than Kakarot, cooking something on the stove and a little boy sitting at the table writing down some calculations. The woman looked over to Bulma and smiled.

“You must be Princess Bulma,” she observed. “I have heard many good things about you, especially from my husband.”

“Don’t you mean ‘mate?’” Bulma asked in confusion.

The woman laughed. “I suppose since we’re on their planet we should use their terms, but yes. Kakarot is my mate.”

“Their planet?”

“Oh, you haven’t been told yet,” the woman stated. She turned to the little boy. “Gohan, go wake up your uncles. They were out late again last night so it might take a while.”

The little boy with the tail jumped off his seat. “Okay, mom, I’ll get them.”

When Gohan was out of earshot, the woman motioned for Bulma to take a seat and joined her. “I’m not a Saiyan,” she said. “My planet was at odds with Planet Vegeta after the former king had been…had passed. I come from the planet, Rescue Star. Our planet had provided a lot of the medicinal herbs that made the medicines of this world.

“A few of us were ordered here when the current king took over and were forced to grow the plants that grow best in this environment and find new ones to make better cures for illness. I am what you call a star healer, and I actually taught Bardock the majority of what I knew about healing. He brought me in to take care of his wife after he retired from the army and became the palace doctor. While spending so much time around the family, I had fallen for Kakarot and he mated with me; however, on my planet we get married, so the family always uses the terminology from my planet to make me feel more welcome.”

“Wow,” Bulma said in amazement. “I’m…glad you met Kakarot, um, what’s your name?”

“Oh, how rude of me,” the woman chuckled. “My name is Chi Chi. It’s nice to officially meet you.”

Bulma smiled at her and said, “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

Just then, two men came into the kitchen and started rummaging for some food. “Morning Chi Chi, where’s our brother this morning?” the taller one with long hair asked.

“He went out early to train, Raditz,” Chi Chi replied.

“And you didn’t let Gohan go with him?” the other one who looked like Kakarot asked. Bulma knew him to be Turles after her talk with Bardock.

Chi Chi turned to him and put her hands on her hips. “Well, he went yesterday and didn’t finish his lesson.”

“Chi Chi, with all due respect,” Raditz started, “is it appropriate for a young Saiyan to learning about healing and stuff?”

“I didn’t hear you complaining when he made that drink for your hangovers,” Chi Chi scolded. Raditz and Turles blushed and looked away from her in shame. “I swear…”

Then the two Saiyans noticed Bulma sitting there in the kitchen. “Oh, are you the princess?” Turles asked. Bulma nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise?” Bulma said unsure.

Raditz chuckled. “Excuse us for our behavior, princess. We’re not really morning people.”

“But it’s the middle of the day,” Bulma replied.

“Crap, she’s observant,” Turles laughed. “Seems all these women are.”

“And don’t you forget it,” Chi Chi replied before going back to cooking. “Where did Gohan run off to?”

“He went to see mom,” Raditz told her. “He’s worried about her.”

“We all are…”

* * *

It got very quiet in the kitchen and Bulma couldn’t take the intense environment and left the room. She shook her head thinking about the situation. She knew that if living conditions were difficult, that those who were sick usually didn’t get any better. If they were in a better home with more nutritious food, Bulma was sure that Kakarot’s mother would be fine. It was so cruel to let your own people suffer like this.

“It’s not how it always was,” Kakarot said startling Bulma.

“When did you get back?” Bulma asked.

“Just a second ago.”

“Oh,” Bulma replied. “What’s not how it always was?”

Kakarot sat down on a couch looking thing and sighed. “Raditz said that mom and dad used to live in a larger house than this. When Vegeta’s grandfather was alive he took care of everyone, including the planets he traded with, like Rescue Star. It was when his father took over that everything got shot to hell. The weaker warriors were moved out of their homes and into smaller ones. The king never wanted to put money into maintaining the homes and let them deteriorate. He offered Raditz, Turles, and I larger homes and we would have taken him up on his offer so that mother could be in better living conditions.”

“Why didn’t you?” Bulma asked.

Kakarot frowned. “He told us that our parents had to reside here and if they tried to move in with us, they would be killed.”

Bulma had no words. She didn’t know how anyone could be such a monster to their own kind. “I want to help,” Bulma finally said.

“You are helping,” Kakarot assured her. “You’re helping Vegeta to increase his strength; you’re keeping him sane by being his mate; and you’ve given him and the people hope that something can and will change. You’ve given Vegeta something to live for after he’s been deteriorating for so long. You’ve truly helped more than you know.”

“I feel like I should be doing more,” Bulma said thinking about the tōgoku.

Kakarot could tell she was plotting something when she got quiet and stared of into space. “Please, Bulma…don’t do anything to get yourself into trouble, at least until you run it by Vegeta first.”

“Alright, fine,” Bulma reluctantly agreed. “I won’t do anything to put me in danger.”

“Princess…”

Bulma and Kakarot turned to see Bardock and his wife standing in the doorway. He was holding her up so that she wouldn’t fall. It nearly brought tears to Bulma’s eyes to see someone so helpless when she couldn’t do anything to make it better, but she managed to hold them back. She knew Saiyans didn’t like dealing with emotions, or at least Vegeta didn’t.

“You’re just as beautiful as I have been hearing,” Gine said kindly.

Bulma blushed. “Thank you,” she said sheepishly making the older woman laugh.

“I can tell you’re a modest one,” she teased. “Just so you know, my home is your home.”

Bulma smiled sadly. “I wish it were the other way around,” she admitted.

Gine returned her smile. “You’re a sweet child. Don’t let these boys worry you. I can still beat them into the pavement if the ever get out of line.”

“I’m sure you could,” Bulma said sincerely.

“We need to be heading to the square, princess,” Bardock told her. “The people still wish to see you and we only have an hour before we need to get you back.”

“Alright,” Bulma said confidently. Kakarot joined her, Bardock, Nappa, and Onior to the square and even brought Gohan. Bulma had a new respect for all of the Saiyans. They all spoke out against their king, even though it could mean their death. They all supported the prince, and now her, and treated her as if she was part of the family they formed in one another.

When Bulma returned to the palace, she felt a newfound strength that would not be so easily extinguished. As soon as Vegeta returned, she would find a way to beat the tōgoku and then maybe Vegeta could take the thrown and save his home planet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And these are the other planets mentioned:
> 
> Kyroo - Random word that I picked out of nowhere XD
> 
> Arlia and Hera – both planets mentioned in DBZ somewhere (bug planet and Bojack’s planet)
> 
> Rescue Star – random name generating website…yeah


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters

Bulma was in the lab, finishing her upgrades on the shield system. So far it had done well in guarding the planet from large space rocks. If she hadn’t formed the shield system, the planet could have been destroyed by an asteroid.

Since then, things had been fairly quiet for her. The king did not have his men running to her with threats or demands for the last month. But, with less stress, shouldn’t she have been feeling better? For the last month, Bulma felt weaker and got queasy fairly easily. She felt that way when she first got to the planet, but now, she was starting to think of Planet Vegeta as her home. Why would she be feeling ill?

“Hello, scientist,” she heard the king growl from the doorway of the lab.

Bulma looked up at the opposing wall and tensed. She knew the king walked up behind her when she felt his hands on her hips. She swallowed a bit, trying to calm her nerves. “What’s wrong, my dear? Will you still not speak? The shock should have passed by now with my son and your late night bouts. What troubles you?”

 _You,_ Bulma thought as she attempted to rein in her emotions. She was about to turn and face him with a glare, but he held her in place and moved his hand down her body. His hand stopped at her stomach, though, and he started to rub her there. She felt disgusted by his actions and blatant disrespect, making a mental note to get at least one hit in before Vegeta finished him for good.

She was too busy thinking about the current king’s end to notice that he stopped his actions and breathed in her scent. His eyes lit up with fury. His son disobeyed him and took her as his mate. He shoved her away from him into her desk and she knew that he figured it out. This is one of the reasons Vegeta didn’t want him near her.

“Did my son take you as his mate?” the king asked darkly.

_“If he ever asks, lie,” Vegeta told her._

_“What?” Bulma asked in uncertainty. “What would I say? I’m not even supposed to talk?”_

_Vegeta shook his head. “If he ever asks, make it seem like you don’t know. The blame will fall on me, not you.”_

_“But…But what about you?” Bulma responded._

_Vegeta stopped what he was doing and walked in front of Bulma. His face was its usual mask, concealing all of his emotions. “Do not worry about me, Bulma,” he ordered. “I can survive. You’d be dead in an instant. Do not question me. Do as you’re told.”_

Bulma looked to the king as if she had no idea what he was talking about and shrugged. That only infuriated the king more. He threw her down to the ground and stormed out of the lab. Bardock entered a few minutes later having sensed the king’s proximity to the princess.

“Princess, are you all right?” he asked in concern while helping her up.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Bulma lied, holding her head and gripping her stomach.

Bardock noticed and decided to check her stomach, in case the king had hit her there. He was in shock at what he felt through his senses. The king was the only Saiyan that could not sense energy. The rest had been taught by those he forced from the other planets. “Princess, how long ago were you and the prince…together?”

Bulma didn’t even hesitate at being asked. She had gotten completely over what had occurred between her and Vegeta. The stress and fear was finally gone and the rational mind of hers was finally back in action. “Four months, why?”

Bardock hesitated before he answered her question. “Because, princess, you are pregnant.”

* * *

“Prince Vegeta, you’ve returned?” Nappa stated in shock. “But I thought…”

“I finished quickly,” Vegeta stated before going over to another guard. “You are to bring the women aboard the ship to the king for inspection. There is also a spare room filled with those berries he likes so much from Hera.”

“And what do you have there?” Nappa asked when he noticed the strange bags he was carrying.

“These are for Bulma,” he stated before leaving for his room. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Bulma’s face.

* * *

“Sire, the prince has returned,” the guard said. “He has brought women here for you to inspect for your harem.”

The king would have normally smirked and started his inspection right away. The fact that he looked menacing frightened the guard. “Bring them all into the harem,” the king ordered. “So my son has returned?” The guard nodded. “Bring him here, and bring his whore. There’s something I need to discuss…with both of them.” The guard tensed, but agreed and left to get the prince and princess.

* * *

Bulma was nervous, not scared, but nervous. Not only did the king know that she was Vegeta’s mate, but now she was told she was going to be a mother. She didn’t know how Vegeta would react, but if it was anything like how Bardock reacted, it couldn’t be good.

Bulma jumped when the door opened, but relaxed when she saw Vegeta standing there. She flashed him a smile and said, “I was told you would be gone another three months, not that I’m not happy to see you.”

Vegeta seemed calm, but he was actually very tense, that is, until she said she was happy to see him. He smirked over at her in his arrogance and placed the bags of her family’s stuff on the bed.

“What’s that?” she asked in confusion.

“See for yourself,” he replied arrogantly.

She did what he said and started looking through the bags. She couldn’t stop her tears of joy from streaming down her face. “Oh my…” He had brought so much from her home. He would have never had to do that, but he did anyway. He even brought her mother’s most recent sonogram of her baby brother.

Vegeta didn’t understand why she was crying. He thought she would be happy. He moved to comfort her, but he didn’t get the chance. Instead, Bulma ran over to him and jumped into his arms. He was slightly shocked, but managed to catch her with one arm in a way that she was sitting on his arm. He was equally shocked when she kissed him. It was so innocent, so gentle, but as he used his other hand to press her lips closer against his, he roughened it. They broke apart to regain their composure, but before they finished panting, there was a knock on the door.

Vegeta quickly let Bulma down and then answered it seeing the guard he had sent to his father. “Yes?”

“The king wishes to see you and your ‘concubine’ right away,” he told them.

Vegeta was taken aback and looked over to Bulma who looked worried. “We will join you in a minute,” he told him before shutting the door in his face. “What’s going on?” Vegeta asked.

“Well, your father came into the lab to day and started feeling me up and I think he figured out that I was your mate,” Bulma told him. “That and…Bardock told me…”

“What? What did he tell you?” Vegeta pressed.

Bulma looked to him, a mixture of joy and fear dancing in her eyes. “He said I’m pregnant.”

* * *

“Well, look who decided to show his face,” the king said in amusement. “Where’s the girl?”

“She will not be joining us today,” Vegeta stated. “She is not well after getting her head smashed in against her desk. Now tell me father, what possessed you to harm her? Has she not met your standards as a scientist? I heard from some other Saiyans that her shield system saved our planet from fallen space rocks.”

“I’m sure you know what we’re here about, Vegeta, so don’t act coy,” the king stated, losing his amused spark. “You disobeyed my orders, and without the girl’s knowledge. If her scientific prowess was lacking, I would do away with her. Unfortunately I cannot do that, but do not think that you will not receive punishment.”

“What of her?” Vegeta asked, slightly concerned.

The king reluctantly sighed. “She will have slightly more freedom, but not much. If she is ever found to be pregnant, I will not kill her like other concubines, but your children with her will not be welcomed by me and will not be your heirs. Don’t tell me you’ve bonded with her.” When Vegeta didn’t say anything, the king activated the tōgoku. Vegeta hit the ground instantly, eyes widening at the pain he was feeling. It felt different than normal, as if powered by his father’s rage. “You idiot! You should have at least not bonded with the Earthling bitch!”

Vegeta took all the blows, although he did attempt to fight back and get ahold of the tōgoku. If he could only get his hands on it, then he could destroy it as well as his father. But he couldn’t get ahold of it and his father smashed him down into the ground of the throne room. Vegeta coughed up some blood and attempted to catch his breath before his father knelt down next to him and whispered in his ear. “This isn’t even a fraction of what your punishment will be. Don’t worry about the girl; I’ll leave her alone for now, but one day, I can promise you that you will feel her pain as I torture her will out of her. Until then, expect to be going on a lot of solo missions.”

The king left Vegeta alone in the throne room. When he left, the power of the tōgoku left with him and Vegeta was able to move. Yes, this was a really bad situation, but all he knew was that Bulma would be safe. And that’s all he needed to know.

* * *

Vegeta found Bulma watching something on some computer he had packed. It was a blurry image, but whatever it was, it was making her cry. Vegeta sat down next to her and was surprised when she leaned into him. Vegeta then saw the disk case that said “sonogram” and looked back in confusion.

“That’s my brother,” Bulma whispered, “or he would have been.”

Vegeta was even more confused. “What’s a sonogram?” he finally asked.

Bulma nodded, now understanding that the Saiyans didn’t use them to monitor pregnancies. “Back on Earth, there were doctors that would use cameras to observe the unborn babies and their development. My mother, she was going to have a little boy. We were still trying to figure out what to name him, but then…” Bulma’s voice started to crack. “I can’t…”

Vegeta nodded and pulled her closer to him. He took the computer away from her and moved her so that he could hold her as she cried. It now made sense why she got along so well with Tarble. She was ready to be an older sister, to become protective of the little one and teach him what she knew. Vegeta knew that feeling very well. “My father is very angry,” Vegeta informed her, “but he swears to leave you alone, at least for now.”

“And you?” Bulma asked nervously.

He gently forced her to look at him. “What have I told you? I can handle anything.”

“Vegeta, I know you’re strong, but he can still hurt you,” Bulma reminded him.

“Why do you care?” Vegeta questioned sincerely. “The last time I saw you, you would have never even sat here with me. You wouldn’t let me get this close to you. You wouldn’t have…” He stopped talking as he thought of the kiss. “What changed? I know it wasn’t just because I brought your stuff from Earth.”

Bulma flashed him an understanding smile and gently stroked his cheek. “Things changed while you were gone. I think I just needed time to process everything and I couldn’t do that with you here.” She looked at his stoic face and saw a mixture of emotions in his eyes. “I don’t blame you, not anymore, Vegeta. Things happened because of your father. I’m over everything, especially after meeting Chi Chi and Gine. I think meeting them made me feel more comfortable.”

“W-What?” Vegeta said not concealing his shock.

Bulma nodded. “Nappa got me out for the day, telling your father I had tests to run on the shield system. He sent him and another guard, Onoir I think. We met up with Bardock and he brought me to meet his family. Then we went into the square. They have faith in us, Vegeta. I think we can really stop your father.”

Vegeta shook his head. “As long as he has the tōgoku that will never happen.”

“Don’t give up hope, my mate,” she said causing his expression to relax. “I have an idea. The only thing is that I need to study the tōgoku, if there is any way to get it from him.”

“I’ve tried,” Vegeta growled in frustration. “I’ve tried so many times. He never lets it out of his sight. It’s always in his cloak. He’s not stupid enough to let someone get it.”

“What if he were impaired or drunk?” Bulma asked.

“What are you talking about?” Vegeta snapped slightly.

“I mean, if he drank a lot, and another was with him, you or someone else, could you get me the tōgoku so I can get some information on it with the portable scanner you brought from Earth, and then return it to him without him realizing we ever had it?”

“It’s possible,” Vegeta whispered. “Could you be at the ready if I were able to retrieve it?”

Bulma nodded. “But, this thought is only if you can’t break it,” Bulma stated. “If there were a way to get it away from him, then we should do everything we can to destroy it.”

Vegeta nodded in agreement. He didn’t know why something like this hadn’t crossed his mind before. “Give me a few days,” Vegeta requested. “We’re going to need some help.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters.

Vegeta woke up early the next day and looked down to his mate sleeping with her hand and head on his chest. He sighed in contentment as he felt her warm breaths dancing across his chest. This calmness between them was the last thing he had been expecting for when he returned. Before he left, the two of them were at each other’s throats. They acted like they hated one another, even though he was actually trying to play off the rejection he had been feeling. Maybe Bulma was trying to play off her fear. Well, if that was the case, they were no longer playing off anything. She wasn’t afraid; he wasn’t being rejected. Maybe that’s why he felt so at ease.

Bulma’s eyes started to flutter open as she felt Vegeta’s hand up her shirt, gently stroking her back. He didn’t realize that she was awake until she placed a short kiss on his chest. He then lifted her up to look her in the eye. She looked a little nervous and bit her lip, but when Vegeta smirked at her, she relaxed.

“Good morning,” she whispered.

“Good morning, my princess,” he replied before pulling her into a kiss.

She was clearly taken by surprise, but relaxed into him as she put her arms around his neck. Vegeta entwined his fingers into her hair and pulled her closer. When Bulma let out an innocent moan, Vegeta took the opportunity to gently force his tongue into her mouth to lightly caress hers. Bulma felt strong as he continued to taste her. The attention he was giving her made her feel beautiful and loved. He had said something along the lines to her the day after he had taken her as mate. Now Bulma knew that the queen had been telling the truth. Vegeta was in love with her, and to makes things better, Bulma had fallen in love with the prince, too.

When he pulled away, Bulma saw how worried he looked, perhaps thinking that he took it too far. She smiled at him reassuringly and then moved her hands down his back. They rested above his lower back and Bulma said, “Has anyone ever told you that you’re a great kisser?”

Vegeta smirked at the praise and chuckled at the girl’s attempt to lighten the mood. “With you being the only woman I’ve ever been with, no, I haven’t heard that one before.”

Bulma was a little surprised to learn that Vegeta had never been with another before. Everyone kept telling her that he would never take a woman who was unwilling, except for her since his father was going to take her away. She had just assumed that it meant that he had been with willing participants. He was so kind to her and incredibly handsome. How could he have not been with any other? Then Bulma gasped as she realized what that meant.

“I was your first time?” Bulma asked in shock.

Vegeta’s eyes widened. He knew Bulma was smart, but he didn’t expect her to pick up on that. “I’m not going to answer that,” Vegeta told her. “Just let it go.”

“I can’t let it go, Vegeta,” Bulma admitted. “If I had known…Vegeta, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel-“

“It’s fine, Bulma,” Vegeta lied. “Don’t think about it.”

Bulma frowned at him, but still leaned into him and comfortingly rubbed his arms. “Alright, I won’t. We don’t have to think about it anymore, except for the fact that we are having a child.”

Vegeta tensed when she reminded him of that. “Bulma, I didn’t mean to get you pregnant.”

Bulma smiled. “Who said I’m upset about it?” she pointed out. “I mean, yeah, I’m young and it was an accident, but I’m still happy to be having a child, your child.”

Vegeta looked over to her with disbelief shining in his expression. “You…you are?”

“Of course I am,” Bulma replied honestly. “I am a little scared, but I have you here with me, and so many others who are on my side. I’m sure that with all the support, I’d be okay.”

“You are an amazing woman, Bulma,” Vegeta stated sincerely. “Don’t forget that.”

“Never,” she whispered in his ear before the two decided to wake up and start their day. They had a lot to do if they were going to get the tōgoku. But first, they needed to come up with a plan and then recruit as many people as possible. Nothing could go wrong. Their lives depended on their success.

* * *

Queen Kalina was sitting out in the garden thinking about the news she had been given from Bardock. Bulma was pregnant. To make matters worse, Nappa had overheard the king threatening Vegeta for taking Bulma as his mate. Her son and the girl she had come to see as her own daughter were both in serious trouble, especially if her mate were to find out about the child.

She was cut from her thoughts by Vegeta’s hand on her shoulder. She nearly jumped, but when she saw it was her son, she relaxed. Vegeta looked at her apologetically, not meaning to scare her. She just flashed him a soft smile and patted the spot on the stone bench that was free. He took her invitation and sat down. The queen could tell that he was troubled and she was ready to listen to what her son had to say.

Vegeta heaved a heavy sigh and then started his speech. “Mother, I know how much father hurts you. I have heard it too many times and I’m sick of it. I’m tired of not being able to do anything about it. It needs to end, but I need your help.”

“My help?” the queen asked in surprise, although she was more surprised that her son knew what had been going on behind closed doors.

Vegeta nodded. “The woman has a scanner that she said could analyze the tōgoku if we can’t destroy it.” He was speaking so softly that Kalina almost didn’t hear him. She understood, though, since this was something that would mean everyone’s death if the king heard. “Would you be able, if we could find a way to drug father or get him drunk, get the tōgoku out of his cloak and get it to the door quickly. I can get it to her and if we can’t destroy it, she’ll scan it and start studying it.”

“This is a very dangerous undertaking, son,” the queen whispered, “but I will do whatever you need me to do. What exactly do you intend to do?”

“Get that disgusting contraption away from him, destroy it, and take him down,” Vegeta replied. “Even if we can’t destroy it now, I’ll be damned if I let him get his hands on it again. Using that thing is a coward’s act. He isn’t a true Saiyan if he needs to hide behind technology alone to rule.”

Queen Kalina smiled. “You remind me of your grandfather,” she told him. “He was so dedicated to the people and had so much pride. I never told you how you father and I met.”

Vegeta growled. “I do not wish to hear it.”

The queen smiled and took her son’s clenched fist in her hand. “It’s more of a story about your grandfather.”

Vegeta sighed in defeat and closed his eyes. “Go on.”

“Well…I was an orphan. I lost my parents to a fire and ended up having to provide for myself. I would steal the food, water, and clothes I needed. I was fast and never got caught, but one day I was in over my head and robbed a group of alien bandits. I couldn’t outrun them and honestly, I was expecting my death. But then, a blast destroyed the aliens and I looked up to see the king, your grandfather, standing over me with a smile and outstretched hand.”

“He…he rescued you?” Vegeta questioned. “I…father always said that-“

“I was from an upper-class family and that our marriage was arranged by the council before he disbanded it,” she recited. “And that is true. The king brought me back to the palace and had a servant clean me up and nurse me. I was on my last leg when they brought me in, dying from malnourishment. When I was cleaned up your grandfather personally brought me food and sat with me as I ate. He was so kind to me and decided to allow me to live in the palace when he heard what had happened to my family. He had me trained to be a princess for the most part. He thought I would be a good choice for his son to marry and the council followed his wishes. I met your father about a week after the king had taken me in. He was kinder as a child. I have no idea what changed him, but I must admit I do not miss the illusion of what he was.”

“I hope to be as good of a ruler as grandfather was,” Vegeta said unsure of his own credentials.

His mother squeezed his hand reassuringly. “You will, my son. Do not doubt yourself. You are strong and have a good heart. If you ever feel yourself losing that kindness, I know that Bulma will remind you of your true self.”

Vegeta didn’t respond. His silence was all his mother needed as a sign that he heard her. His silence meant that he was reflecting on the words spoken. Not many people knew that about her son.

He stood up abruptly and said, “I have a few more people to see, but this will be taking place…tonight.”

The young Saiyan quickly made his way back inside the palace. The queen just watched his retreating form and silently prayed that they would be successful. She didn’t think she could take much more abuse.

* * *

Bulma was unpacking all of her things that Vegeta had brought from Earth. He managed to find a few of her outfits. They had been in a different room than where he had found her. She would have told him back then so that she could get dressed, but she was so traumatized at that time. Well, it felt nice to be in her own clothes, not that Saiyan clothes weren’t comfortable. She went to go look in the mirror to study her appearance in her old outfits. She looked like a seventeen year old girl again. It was hard to believe that’s how old she actually was. She had lost her family and planet, she was mated to a prince of another one and having his child, and she was helping to take down one of the worst tyrants she had ever met (not that she met that many to begin with).

She didn’t notice Vegeta staring at her as she studied herself. His eyes roamed up and down her form in curiosity. He had never seen such a bright blue color before, especially on any Saiyan woman, but it suited her. She looked like a youthful spirit. Vegeta couldn’t help but picture what she may have been like as an Earthling teenager. He may not have been the one to take that away from her, but he felt guilty nonetheless.

Bulma decided to do a little spin, but paused mid-spin as her eyes met Vegeta’s. Her smile made his tense form relax. She walked over him and rested her hands on his shoulders. “I wanted to thank you again for bringing me all of these things from Earth,” she whispered. “I can’t believe you actually brought my mother’s wedding dress.”

“W-Wedding dress? What’s that?” Vegeta asked.

Bulma blushed a little causing him to chuckle. “Well,” Bulma started, “it’s like our mating process, I suppose. On Earth, people got to know each other by dating. It’s how they knew if you were compatible with the other. They would exchange life stories, sometimes way before any physical contact. Some would start off slow and, somewhere down the line, people would fall in love. When they were in love, the man would often propose giving a diamond ring to the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Then, if the woman would say ‘yes,’ they would plan a ceremony with all their friends and family who would watch them promise to be with one another forever, no matter what, until death parted them. The man would wear a tux, and the woman would where a white dress. That’s pretty much what a wedding was like.”

Vegeta nodded. He understood what it was, but he didn’t like the part where she said “until death parted them.” It didn’t work that way with Saiyans…well, it did, but only to mates that weren’t fully bonded. They could have a partial bond, like Kakarot’s mother and father, where they have a connection, but if one died, there would just be a dull ache in the other. They could be with other Saiyans, but it would never fulfill that ache. There could be no bonding like his own mother and father where it didn’t matter if one died. The other would be free to move on to anyone. Or it could be a full bonding like he and Bulma. If Vegeta were to die, it was possible Bulma would survive from being human; but if she died, he would too. That is why he told her that she completed him when he was so worn out that day. Maybe he had to explain it to her.

“We do have ceremonies here as well,” Vegeta told her. “We just haven’t had one because of my father, but as soon as he is gone, I will publically accept you in a ceremony, though everyone seems to already know.” Bulma smiled as he continued. “There are different types of mates: those who are bonded, those who are not, and those who are somewhere in between. I am not sure about the ‘love’ thing that you mentioned. We do not truly have a word for it. ‘Love’ cannot describe the feelings that bonded and partially bonded pairs feel for the other. There is no ‘death parting.’ Partially bonded mates will always long for their other half, though they will not die when they do, like Kakarot’s parents. Bonded mates…like us…if one dies, the other will as well. I’m not sure how it will work for you since you are human, but that is the extent. The feeling is much stronger than the word ‘love.’ We know of the word because it seems so universal, but we hardly ever use it unless in the presence of an alien species.”

Bulma blinked a few times processing everything she was just told. Vegeta had just pretty much told her that he loved her…no not love. He felt for her something woman on her planet could only dream of. He felt so strongly for her that words could not convey his feelings.

“The closest thing we say is-” Vegeta began to say, but was cut off by Bulma.

“You complete me,” she said sincerely as she squeezed his shoulders. A few tears ran down her face and Vegeta wiped them away.

“Yes, my yuubutsu,” Vegeta replied with an intense sincerity. “You complete me.”

Bulma’s face lit up and she jumped into his arms. He easily caught her and pulled her as close to him as possible without hurting her or their child. He had nearly forgotten what he had originally come to talk to her about as she kissed him with passion. He brought her to their bed and laid them both down without breaking the kiss. He knew this was about all she could handle right now and that was honestly all he wanted, the closeness. He would not push her because he truly cared for her. She was his woman and he respected her and was grateful that he had found her that day. Without her, he would have very little to live for. Sure, he had his mother, brother, and people, but until she came, he had given up and not even they could keep him motivated.

They broke apart and took in gasps of air. Bulma snuggled into Vegeta, and he stroked her back and took in her scent. It comforted him to know that she was safe from his father, unless he would find out about their plans. Then he was reminded of what he came to tell her.

“I had nearly forgotten,” he said with a hazy voice that seemed so far away.

“Forgotten what?” Bulma gasped, still out of breath.

“I spoke with my mother, the cook, Nappa, and Bardock. Bardock is sending his three sons to guard you in the lab just in case. The cook will put a drug in everything my father eats. It’s a muted drug that does not work after a few bites so that the taste tester will not be affected by it. He will be out of it and my mother will then go to him and distract him as she takes the tōgoku. She’ll call Nappa in, who will be her guard for the night, dismiss him for the night, and inconspicuously hand him the device. I will race it to you and we can try to destroy it, but if we can’t, you will scan it and I will hide it. Without it, my father is weak and I can easily destroy him and take the throne.”

“I’m sorry you have to kill your father,” Bulma said without thinking.

Vegeta looked at her incredulously. After everything his father had done, he had no familial ties to the man; yet Bulma was concerned that Vegeta would feel guilty for it. “It is what is best for the people, for my mother and brother, for us…I will have no regrets in ending this suffering.”

Bulma flashed him a look of understanding and pride. Vegeta choked back a gasp. He felt so incredibly strong just by this one, simple look. He knew that look meant that she took pride in him, in his strength, and in who he was. That meant more to him than his people having faith in him, or even his mother believing in his ability to rule.

Before Vegeta could say anything, Bardock rushed into the room.

“Princess, I need you,” he told her desperately.

“What’s wrong?” Bulma asked. The look on Bardock’s face revealed a hopelessness that Vegeta had never seen in their palace doctor.

“You…you said that you had some experience with medicines, correct?” Bardock asked hopefully.

“Yes, why?” Bulma responded before she gasped. “Gine?” Bardock only nodded. Bulma glanced over to Vegeta in panic.

Vegeta nodded to her and took her in his arms. “We’ll get there faster if we fly,” he told Bardock as the three of them left the palace.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters

It was a quick flight to Bardock’s home as Vegeta and Bardock were flying at full speed. From what Bardock had said of the current situation, Gine had had some sort of setback. Conditions were growing worse for them, and Bulma felt even guiltier that she lived in a somewhat safe palace. She didn’t realize that even Vegeta felt guilty for the treatment his best friend’s family received from his father. He held the hope that after today, the family would be able to heal. After today, he could put them in better living conditions. It was his plan, all along, to reinstate his grandfather’s laws when he took the crown. Then the planet and neighboring planets would be at peace. Maybe that would make up for all the harm the king had caused.

As soon as they touched down, Bulma jumped out of Vegeta’s arms and ran into the dwelling. Everyone was gathered around Gine who looked like she had gotten a lot worse since the last time Bulma had visited with her. Everyone looked sad, panicked, or like they were fighting their own emotions, except for Gine who had a smile on her face.

“Oh, Princess Bulma, it’s so good to see you again,” Gine greeted. When she saw Vegeta, her smile widened. “Oh, Vegeta, it’s been so long. How are you?”

Bulma looked to Vegeta and saw that he looked defeated. She knew he was close to the family, but she didn’t know the half of it. Vegeta was shocked to see the way that Gine was because he had never gotten the chance to see her once she took turns for the worst. He always saw Gine like a second mother and it was hard for him to see her in the weakened state. “I should be asking you that,” he said trying to play off his worry. But Bulma could see through his façade, though, and tried to push her sympathy aside to try and figure out if she could save the woman.

She went to take her pulse, but Gine forced her to stop. “Don’t worry, child. It’s my time.”

“You’re just being tough,” Bulma said, fighting back tears. “Everything will be okay.”

“I know that,” Gine replied, “but everyone doesn’t seem to think so.”

“Mom, stop,” Kakarot said sadly. “You have to stop talking about dying.”

Gine took her youngest son’s hand in hers and smiled. “It’s going to be okay, Kakarot. No matter what, I’ll always be with you.” She flashed Bardock a small glare. “And you better tell them the truth.”

“What truth?” Bulma asked. Even Vegeta had a brow quirked.

Gine laughed it off. “Oh, don’t worry about that right now. Just know that I will be going to a better place. You all have to let me go.”

“No!” Gohan cried out. “No, gramma, you can’t leave us.”

Chi Chi frowned and reluctantly pulled her little one away from her mother-in-law. Bulma tried again to read her pulse, or maybe even try to take a culture. She turned to Chi Chi and asked, “Do you have anything like antibiotics around here?”

“Anti-what?” Raditz questioned. “What the hell are those?”

Gine chuckled. “Language, Raditz.”

“No,” Chi Chi answered. “The only antibiotics are still on Rescue Star. They can’t be cultivated here because we weren’t given access to a lab, so we don’t have the resources to develop them.”

“It’s all right,” Gine said in frustration. She looked over to her husband and flashed him a smile. “I’m supposed to go today and there is nothing that can change that…Bardock.”

Vegeta looked over to Bardock who looked a little flustered, like he got caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to. But he merely asked for Bulma’s help. How was that wrong? Unless he knew something about Gine’s death, but there was no way that were possible, right?

* * *

There was nothing that could be done. Bulma and Chi Chi discussed possible treatment for Gine, but they knew there was no time to implement any plans. Gine was already too far gone. Chi Chi tried to force Gohan to leave the home and go play with the neighborhood children. She didn’t want her son to witness his grandmother’s death, no matter how close they were. Gohan was young, but he wasn’t stupid. He refused to leave, and with his uncles, grandfather, and father wanting to stay, there was no one to force him.

Bulma went outside and found Vegeta staring out into the city. His arms were crossed and he looked calm, but Bulma could tell that he was close to his breaking point. She didn’t want to startle him out of it because he could always end up attacking her with how tense he looked, but she decided it was better than him bottling up how he felt. Biting the bullet, Bulma gently stroked her hand over his arm. She got a different reaction from him than she had expected. He gently pulled her in front of him and rested his head atop of hers. He still said nothing, but Bulma could feel his shaking form. She assumed that he was trying to hold in his sadness, but that was the furthest from the truth.

Vegeta was livid. It wasn’t enough that his father had killed his grandfather, forced himself on his mother, forced him and his little brother to purge, threatened his mate, and ruined the planet and its treaties with other planets. No, he had to go so far as to allow a woman that had been in Vegeta’s life since he was a small child die. He was heartless, and Vegeta could not fathom how they were even related.

“Vegeta,” Bulma said softly. He didn’t respond, and she sighed. “I know that you’re sad and I want you to know that I am here for you if you need someone’s shoulder to cry on.”

Vegeta narrowed his eyes, but still did not move. He wasn’t angry at her for implying that he was settling for the weaker emotion. He knew that she was only offering him what he did for her so many times. He realized that humans were just sensitive creatures, and he did not fault her for her kind offer.

“I am not sad,” Vegeta sneered in anger. “That bastard is going to pay; I will make sure of it.”

Bulma tensed at the hardened sound of his voice. The only time she remembered hearing him say something in such a tone was when they first arrived on the planet. That voice had scared her, made her fear that he was truly a hardened killer, back then. Now, she knew that was his defense from feeling pain. He forced her to face him. Bulma studied his angered expression. It made her shiver a little, but Vegeta leaned into her and whispered in her ear, “Do not be afraid, my yuubutsu. I will never harm you.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” Bulma replied with honesty. “I’m afraid for you.”

Vegeta looked slightly confused at her statement. He was about to ask her what she meant when Turles came out looking incredibly downtrodden. That’s when something inside Vegeta broke, causing him to storm off and unleash his anger.

* * *

Kakarot wasn’t too far behind him. He had been the one sitting with his mother when she let out her last breath, and he was ready to kill something, anything. The normally upbeat Saiyan slammed his fist down against the floor, breaking a few of the floorboards. Chi Chi was about to go comfort her husband when he sped out of the decrepit house.

“Someone should go after him,” Raditz said, his voice full of suppressed sadness.

“No,” Bardock told them all. “This needed to happen.”

“What do you mean, dad?” Turles asked entering the house again. Little Gohan looked up at his grandfather. Even Bulma had returned inside to hear what the older Saiyan had to say.

“I…I never told any of you this, no one except for your mother,” Bardock started to explain. “I have visions, ever since a battle on another planet when Vegeta’s grandfather was in charge. They used to be spotty, at best, and I never knew until after I told the king his son was gunning for him. He waved it off, not wanting to think so poorly of his son…but when the current king took over, I knew. Earlier today I had another vision that your mother would die, and both your younger brother and the prince would react more…well angry. That anger is going to release their true potential. The two of them are about to become Super Saiyans…”

“No,” Raditz and Turles said in both disbelief and wonder. Bulma, Chi Chi, and Gohan exchange confused glances.

“Um, excuse me,” Bulma spoke up. “What’s a Super Saiyan?”

Bardock flashed the princess an apologetic look. “I’m sorry that I tried to stop it, but I did not want to lose my mate.”

“I understand,” Bulma told him, “believe me. Now can you explain to me what is going on?”

“A Super Saiyan is a legendary state that pure-hearted warriors can reach,” Bardock explained. “It hasn’t been done for thousands of years.”

Bulma was both shocked and impressed. Becoming a Super Saiyan seemed like such a challenge. But she didn’t understand how Gine’s death could have aided in their transformations. As if reading her thoughts, Bardock stated, “Their rage is what will unlock their potential.”

* * *

Vegeta made sure to get as far away from the city as possible. He ended up in the mountains and began to smash through the rocks. All he could hear in his head was that he failed his people if he could let someone die the way Gine had. He didn’t even care that he was bleeding when he pounded through the rocks. Soon, he was joined by Kakarot who was in the same enraged state. The two of them took a moment to breathe after their outburst before they decided to ram into one another.

They were, by no means, angry with the other, but no matter what they did, they could not contain the rage they felt. Their fists connected with the others’ bodies, and both were starting to feel weaker. They knew they had the strength, but they couldn’t reach it. Instead, they continued to focus on everything: the hurt the two had caused as purgers, the state of their planet and the people’s freedom, and the loss of a woman who play a hand in raising both of them. Eventually they both screamed out in frustration and let out as much energy as they expend. Dust twirled around them, blocking their view. When it cleared, they both stared to the other in the shock of seeing blonde hair and teal eyes.

“Wh-what just happened?” Kakarot asked Vegeta. Vegeta only shrugged. He felt a little calmer now, but he didn’t understand why. Then he remembered the story his grandfather used to tell him about the Legendary Super Saiyan.

“I believe,” Vegeta said not betraying his shock, “we have achieved legendary status.”

“Super Saiyans,” Kakarot stated. Vegeta nodded. “What caused it?”

* * *

Vegeta didn’t know, but he did know one thing. If there was any chance of his and Bulma’s plans failing, there wasn’t anymore. His father would die tonight, by his hand. “We should head back,” he said as he looked around them. He didn’t even remember causing that much damage to the mountain they were currently standing on, craters and rubble surrounding them both.

The two returned to the small home. By the time they returned, Gine’s body had already been hidden in a preservation chamber. This was explained to the two Saiyans who had decided to keep their transformations a secret from everyone, at least until the time was right. Vegeta told Bardock that Gine would have a proper ceremony as soon as his father was defeated. Bardock knew, as well as his sons, how Vegeta considered them all as family. Bardock couldn’t help but smile when he thought of the young prince’s visits. Gine always loved seeing him and her son get along so well. She treated him like her own son.

“Gine would be very grateful, my prince,” he told him. “She would also want to tell you not to do anything stupid.”

Vegeta smirked and chuckled. “That does sound like her,” he stated. He then turned to Bulma. “We need to put our plan into action.” Bulma simply nodded and let Vegeta take her in his arms.

He flew back to the palace, and Bulma stayed quiet the entire time. Nothing in his expression betrayed his secret of the transformation. Bulma was truly curious about his new power, though; however, she didn’t want to mention it. If Vegeta wanted her to know, he would tell her.

When he returned to their room, he set Bulma down gently on the bed. “Everything is going to be okay,” he explained to her. “We will end this. I promise you; Gine’s death will not be in vain.” That’s how Bulma knew he had transformed.

* * *

Dinner was tense between the royals. Vegeta had made sure to keep Bulma away from the dining area. His father would have sensed her nerves; he would have known something was up. The queen continuously looked between her son and mate. The two were in some sort of glaring match with the other. Kalina could sense her son’s rage; she knew that something had happened. She could have never guessed that one of her dearest friends had passed not even three hours prior to their dinner.

Tarble also noticed the tense aura in the room. He wanted to excuse himself, but as soon as he stood up, his father banged his fist on the table, startling the young boy.

“Where do you think you’re going, worm?” the king sneered at the little boy.

“I…” Tarble said hesitantly, “I’m not feeling well this evening, father.”

“You are a sorry excuse for a Saiyan,” the king replied with a huff.

“You’re one to talk,” Vegeta said quietly. Unfortunately since he was so close to his father, the elder Saiyan had heard.

“What was that?” the king asked in a feigned calm. His anger was hidden well, but Vegeta could sense it in his tone.

“I will not repeat myself,” he answered. “A true Saiyan wouldn’t hide behind intimidation methods.”

“Vegeta!” his mother nearly screamed. She did not want to watch either one of her sons hurt by their father. Every time she saw them in such a state, it nearly killed her, especially since she was so defenseless.

“What brought this on?” the king said in amusement. “Not the threat on your mate’s life, I’m sure.” The king didn’t even realize that he was starting to feel a little tipsy. It was probably why he hadn’t yet reached for the tōgoku.

Vegeta could hear the slur in his voice now and decided to tell his father exactly how he felt. He wouldn’t be able to do anything to him now. He did make sure that his mother and brother were not present, just in case. “Mother, Tarble…leave now.”

Queen Kalina did not fight her son’s command and, instead, gently guided her youngest son out of the room. When the two of them left, Vegeta started his tirade.

“You are a sorry excuse for a Saiyan,” Vegeta began, not missing the amusement lighting his father’s eyes. “Because of you, the people have suffered. Lives have been lost because of your orders, and treaties have been broken. Planet Vegeta used to be a prosperous entity. Look at it now. Our own are dying because you have forbidden medicinal practices except for the elites and for us. You have forced us to destroy countless planets, ones that used to be our allies. Grandfather would be very disappointed in you, as I am.”

The king just laughed in Vegeta’s face. “It’s politics, son. Only the strong survive. The weak have no business existing if they can’t fight off a few Saiyans. As for the people and treatment, it’s their fault for not being strong enough for elite status. They should have trained harder, like you and that Kakarot boy. It’s strange how strong he is considering he has such weak parents.”

Vegeta had to hold himself back. Attacking his father now could ruin the entire plan. Instead, Vegeta just walked out of the room to get ready to implement the plan. He couldn’t wait to see the light leave his father’s arrogant eyes.

He first went to check on Bulma, to see how she was faring. He was surprised to see her at the ready, with so many technological devices he had never seen. Kakarot was with her, and Vegeta was okay with him being Bulma’s only guard at the moment. The rest of the family was grieving, and only he and Kakarot knew what had happened on the mountain. Kakarot would be more than enough if his father caught onto their plans. He shouldn’t, though, since the drug seemed to work so well.

Bulma and Kakarot saw Vegeta and nodded to him. They were ready to get this started. Now it was up to him, his mother, and Nappa to put things into motion.

* * *

Queen Kalina was slightly nervous, but more so for her son’s sake than hers. She had never felt more relieved when her husband came in, stumbling and whatnot. He was laughing uncontrollably, probably from whatever Vegeta did or said. The queen used her limited ability to sense ki to see that her son was still standing. Now she understood what Vegeta felt when he did not know if she and Tarble were okay after his long purging missions. By the end of the day, all the worry would all be over.

“That boy has got some spine on him,” the king drawled, still laughing. “For him to talk the way he did…I had no idea I had such an effect on our boy.” He looked over to Kalina with a spark in his eyes. “Do you feel the same, my mate?”

Queen Kalina tensed, but shook her head. “N-no, my dear, I do not feel the same.” He kept his initial playfulness as he crawled over to her, looking like an animal hunting its prey. “Um, wait, my king. Let me dismiss my guard so that we have no interruptions.” For good measure, she rubbed her hands suggestively against his body.

“Fine,” the king replied smugly.

“Nappa,” the queen called. Nappa entered and went over to her. She handed him her tea tray and said, “The king and I would like no disturbances for the night. You are dismissed.”

“Yes, my queen,” Nappa replied before leaving the room. He closed the door carefully and looked down at the tea tray. The tōgoku was there.

* * *

Vegeta was patiently waiting for Nappa near the kitchen. When he saw the tōgoku, he was very impressed. He knew that his mother had stolen to survive, but she never said she knew how to pick-pocket. “Is she all right?” Vegeta asked.

“She will be,” Nappa told Vegeta. “Once this is all over.” Vegeta nodded and took the tōgoku. He rushed off to the lab, all the while trying to break it. He couldn’t, which irritated him greatly, but he knew Bulma would be able to figure it out.

Bulma nearly smiled when she saw that Vegeta was all right, but shoved her happiness down. She had a job to do and it needed to be done as quickly as possible. They would have to scan the tōgoku, but then they’d have to hide it. Vegeta’s father would notice it missing in the morning. That was when all hell would break loose. She only hoped that Vegeta could take care of him before he caught onto their plan.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters
> 
> So, as most FFN people know, as the ending to Part I is coming to a close, there is a Part II, which I have to put a lot of work into planning. It involves a universal tournament, which means I need to create races, names, abilities, etc. And then figure out who is fighting who. There will eventually be a Part III, but Part II is bound to be the most intensive, hence my reasoning for updating slowly.

Vegeta watched Bulma from across the room with his arms crossed and his back against the wall. He was tapping his gloved finger impatiently against his arm. He didn’t want to rush his mate, but the longer this took, the more danger they would be in. Yes, the drugs were supposed to last until the late afternoon the next day, but there were still so many unknowns.

Kakarot cast Vegeta a knowing glance. He was getting nervous too. The only one in the room who seemed calm and unaffected was the one who should be worried the most. He looked to his princess and couldn’t help but think about the baby. Yes, his father had told the family. That meant she would require more energy and rest than she was getting, plus she was an Earthling and the child was half-Saiyan. He was worried for her health. He didn’t want her to have any complications like his mother.

“This is…interesting,” Bulma stated as if no one were in the room. She was in scientist mode and wasn’t really paying attention to the two nervous Saiyans.

“What is?” Vegeta asked. He really hoped that she found out a way to disable the tōgoku.

“Well,” Bulma started, “it’s design is like a small battery pack.”

“Battery pack?” Kakarot asked. “What’s a battery?”

“Well, have you been to a planet that uses electronics like Earth had?” Bulma questioned.

Vegeta nodded. “Yes. And you showed me that computer thing you had. You told me the portable generator charges the battery since we don’t have electricity except for the lab.”

“Exactly. It’s a power source that can be in large or portable devices. Some of the technology here is ‘battery powered.’ You just used a different power source. Anyway, batteries can be charged and the energy stored can power up something else.”

“So, the tōgoku drains out power and transfers it to my father?” Vegeta asked in frustration. “Coward.”

“Well, I said it’s design is ‘like’ a battery,” Bulma continued. “It stores the power it drains, but it does not work the same way a battery does. However, the energy can be utilized. There seems to be a lot of energy in here. It could be the next potential energy source for the planet once this is all over. After the energy he trapped in it is expended, we could use it to conserve a different energy source.”

“That’s pretty cool,” Kakarot replied. “I didn’t know that that thing could actually be used for something good.”

“All of this energy could have been used to protect our people,” Vegeta stated. “I hate him.”

“I know,” Bulma said softly. “But everything will work out. I’ll hide it with my stuff since your father doesn’t even know you brought it all from Earth. There would be way too much stuff to go through if he ever found it.”

Vegeta pushed himself off of the wall and Kakarot stood up. “Bulma, I will take you back to the room. Nappa will be guarding you. Kakarot and I have some training we need to do before we face my father.”

Bulma smiled and nodded in understanding. Vegeta ordered Kakarot to wait in the lab so they could train in the gravity chamber. Then he and Bulma walked back to their room.

* * *

When they got there, Bulma put the tōgoku into the case containing the sonogram. It was good that the thing was so flat. If someone on Earth had ever seen it, they would have thought it was some shard or a piece of broken plastic. She would have never guessed something so tiny would cause so much damage to a single race.

“It wasn’t a single race,” Vegeta said. He had heard her thought and he wanted to clear things up. “There was another on our planet, the Tuffles, very weak, but technologically advanced. My grandfather took care of them too. My father just wanted the technology and I have no idea what’s left of their race. Probably some stragglers underground. And then all of the other planets…there’s just so much damage we caused.”

Bulma took her hand and gently stroked his cheek. “Trust me; your father is not the only one out there.”

Vegeta’s eyes widened. For the entire time Bulma had been there, she had never once brought up her planet’s attacker. “Who?” Vegeta asked. He wanted to know the bastard who harmed his mate.

Bulma closed her eyes and shook her head. “Not now. After we take down your father and repair the planet and allied planets. We can makes amends for what he did. I’m sure the other planets understand. We can fix things.”

“We,” Vegeta stated. He had never had someone like her. Technically when this was all over, she could leave him. Yes, she was having his child, but that didn’t mean she needed to stay here. She could go somewhere else that was much safer and less broken. But she did tell him that he completed her.

Bulma smiled and took his hands. “Yes, we. You didn’t think I’d let you deal with it all on your own, did you? I’m your mate, remember? We are in this together.”

Vegeta knew he had training to do, but he didn’t care for that moment. He reached his hands up and cupped her face while her hands still rested on his and kissed her gently. Her hands slid down from his and glided over his muscular arms to his shoulders. He pulled away from her and leaned his forehead against hers. “When this is all over, my yuubutsu, the first thing we are doing is making sure you get some rest. You have done well these past few months. I am…proud…to have you as a mate.”

“Likewise, my prince,” Bulma whispered. He moved away to look her in the eyes. When she smiled, he nodded and then took off to go train. Bulma assumed that the training they were doing was for their new forms that Bardock had told her about. With all that energy, they now needed control.

* * *

Queen Kalina could not sleep at all. She had a bad feeling that something was going to happen. She looked down to her sleeping mate and shivered. It was for the good of the planet, what she did, but now she had a strong desire to be clean. Vegeta had told her that his father would be out for the entire night into the late afternoon at least. The queen decided to take that opportunity to get washed up and get the hell out of that room. She didn’t want to be around him once he found out his precious machine was missing.

When she got into the bath, she sensed a slight movement in the room and tense. When it stopped, she relaxed. Her husband was probably just turning over in his sleep. _Keep yourself together,_ she told herself. _This will all be over soon._

* * *

Bulma was reading over some of her notes on the shield system. It was definitely a good system, but she always made sure to check if any improvements could be made. She also looked over her plans for a water purification system. The planet was pretty much all desert with a few large bodies of water. The people needed to be able to get easy access to water. There was minimal plumbing already on the planet, but not for drinking water, only washroom water and unfiltered water for cooking. If the people wanted drinking water, they had to work for it. In desert heat, that was dangerous. As soon as Vegeta’s father was gone, they could start building it. They would need resources from other planets and possibly those Tuffles Vegeta mentioned, if there were any left, to help build it. They could pay them for their services with the funds the king accumulated and resources that she could invent to assist them. Things were going to work out.

Bulma heard the door click open and she smiled happily, thinking Vegeta had come back to see her while they waited for his father to wake up. “Hey, Vege-" Bulma looked up and paled when she realized that it wasn’t Vegeta standing in front of her, but the king.

He looked livid, but then smirked at her. “Oh, so you do talk,” he stated. Then he glared at her. “Good. Then you can tell me where the tōgoku is.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters.

Bulma was stunned into silence looking into the eyes of the man everyone feared. He was livid. It was obvious that he discovered the tōgoku was gone. Bulma swallowed nervously and tried to speak again, but no words came out.

“Spit it out, girl,” the king snarled. “I don’t have all day. What did my son do with the tōgoku?”

Bulma mentally felt relieved. He didn’t know she had it, but he expected her to know something about it. Well, there was one thing Bulma was good at back on Earth with all of the fake people she knew.

How to play dumb…

“What’s a togaku?” Bulma asked in a feigned confusion that could only be perceived as genuine.

The king narrowed his eyes at the young girl and circled around his son’s bed to get closer to her. “Do you mean to tell me that my son has told you nothing of the weapon I use?” he asked skeptically.

Bulma frowned and shook her head. “No, sir,” she answered honestly. However, the king was not done with her.

Bulma was shocked when he lifted her by her neck. “Do not lie to me!” the king shouted as Bulma gasped for air. Then he noticed something. The girl’s arms moved to cover her stomach protectively. He dropped her back onto the bed on top of her files, and Bulma put her hand on her neck and worked on catching her breath.

“You are pregnant.” It was a statement, not a question. Bulma could only nod, and hope and pray that he would not harm her or her child. The king sighed in frustration and used his hand to attempt to wipe the frustration away from his face. “This is a mess. The boy is an idiot.”

Bulma was still trying to catch her breath, but she did not want the king talking about Vegeta in such a derogatory manner. “Don’t…don’t call him that,” she said hoarsely.

The king flashed to her his expressionless mask. That made her feel more nervous because she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Unfortunately for her, he lifted her up and threw her over his shoulder, making sure not bang her stomach around. “You are lucky,” he whispered darkly in her ear. “I already made a promise to my son not to harm you if I ever found you to be pregnant. This is the one favor I will grant him.”

“W-what are you going to do to me?” Bulma asked nervously. The king said nothing but started rubbing Bulma’s back suggestively. She cringed and could feel him smirking without even looking at him.

“You let me worry about that,” the king replied as he left the room. As he walked down the hallway, Bulma was able to see Nappa knocked unconscious and started worrying about him more than she was worrying about her predicament.

It wasn’t until she was brought into a pitch-black, underground dungeon that she started to panic. She could handle dark, but this was just too dark. “I can sense you getting nervous,” the king stated. “Why? I have already told you that I will not harm you.”

Bulma shivered a bit and said, “How can I be sure? When I angered you before, you grabbed me by my throat, and you just repeated that just now. I don’t know if I can trust you…plus…” She stopped herself from telling him that she couldn’t see. That would just give him the advantage.

He didn’t press her. He already knew that her senses were dulled. He threw her a little roughly to the floor of a cell and locked her in. Bulma quickly stood up and grasped the bars. The king just smirked at her. “Don’t worry, scientist. I’m sure my son will come for you. I just hope I don’t lose my temper before then.” He then left her alone in the cold dungeon.

Bulma’s eyes widened. He was going to keep her trapped here until either he found the tōgoku or he fought Vegeta. Vegeta wouldn’t be able to sense her as it looked like she was surrounded by ki restraints. She knew what they were because Nappa had shown them to her when she started working in the lab. Whenever she was given the task of repairing them, she usually made it seem like she fixed them when she didn’t.

Her ki was already weak as it was. Vegeta would have had difficulties sensing her to begin with. _Please Vegeta…help me…find me._

* * *

Vegeta froze in the middle of his attack and received a punch to the face from Kakarot. They were both in their Super Saiyan forms, but after the hit, Kakarot went back to base form and looked shocked.

“Vegeta, are you all right?” Kakarot called out to his friend.

Vegeta changed back to base form and put his hand to his head. Kakarot flew over to him to help him out of the wall he just punched him into, but Vegeta smacked his hand away.

_Please Vegeta…help me…find me._

“Bulma,” he said.

Kakarot raised his brow at him. “What about her?”

“I heard her…I’ve never heard her through the bond before,” Vegeta stated in amazement.

“Maybe the bond between you two is stronger than you thought,” Kakarot suggested. “I mean maybe it just took longer for the connection to develop between you because she’s human.”

 _She sounded terrified,_ Vegeta thought to himself. He stretched out his ki to sense hers and found that he could not locate her; however, his father’s ki was vibrant and located in his throne room. “No,” Vegeta growled.

“What’s wrong?” Kakarot asked, his expression becoming serious when he saw Vegeta’s darken.

“The bastard is awake,” Vegeta told him. “And he has Bulma somewhere. I can’t detect her.”

“Probably the dungeons,” Kakarot pointed out. “I’ll go get her; you go take care of the creep.”

Vegeta nodded to him. He clenched his fist tightly and then sped off in the direction of the throne room. His father would pay for ever laying a finger on his mate.

* * *

Bulma was pacing in the dark room. She had no idea how to get to Vegeta, or at least warn him that his father was onto him. The good news was that the king seemed to buy that she had no knowledge of the tōgoku. With that in mind, Bulma managed to start to relax. She also knew that both Vegeta and Kakarot were Super Saiyans. They had enough strength, before the transformation, to take down the king. Now their victory was guaranteed. This also comforted Bulma greatly.

_I heard you._

Bulma’s head shot up and she stopped her pacing. The voice in her head sounded an awful lot like Vegeta, but that couldn’t be right, could it?

 _Our bond is stronger now,_ she heard him say. _Kakarot is coming for you. Sit tight._

Bulma started to feel dizzy. This mental communication was a little too much for her to handle. She leaned against the wall and slid down holding onto her head. What was she supposed to do? Respond? Wait patiently? Could she contact him again? Would she distract Vegeta if she tried to communicate with him? She didn’t want to be the reason he got into more trouble.

A sound of an explosion brought her attention back to her being in the dungeon. When the dust cleared she saw Kakarot. He didn’t look happy and started looking for a way to open the cell. It was clear that he wasn’t too familiar with the dungeon.

He marched up to the cell she was in studying it. Bulma was still dazed from feeling Vegeta’s presence in her mind. It was both comforting, yet desperate. The king getting ahold of her must have upset Vegeta more than she had could have ever imagined.

“Bulma, stand back,” Kakarot said. His voice was serious and strict. It left no room for an argument.

Bulma looked at him strangely. She was completely perplexed. She was already at the back of the cell; she couldn’t go any farther. Instead, she stood up and just stared at Kakarot. The Saiyan sighed and motioned for her to stand at the side of the cell, away from the bars. Bulma nodded and took cover behind the stone wall as Kakarot blasted the bars. After Bulma slowly ran out of it, Kakarot looked back and his face returned to its innocent self. He rubbed the back of his head nervously and said, “Man, I guess this is just one more thing we have to get fixed, huh?”

Bulma’s expression flatted. Could he seriously be thinking about that now? Bulma then gasped as she realized that Vegeta must have been going to face his father.

“Kakarot, how do I talk to Vegeta again,” Bulma asked desperately.

“Huh, what are you talking about?” Kakarot replied. “You can talk to him after he fights his father.”

“I mean through the bond!” Bulma shouted.

“Oh,” Kakarot said. He crossed his arms in contemplation. “Well, we really have no idea how you did it to begin with. No one expected a human to bond with a Saiyan. I mean, I’m not surprised, though, since Chi Chi bonded with me.”

Bulma just stared at him in irritation. That was not going to help her. Well, if she couldn’t let Vegeta know that she was out through the bond, she would instead go to him, hopefully before he faced off against his father.

Kakarot was still deep in thought as Bulma took off in a sprint to the throne room. He saw her run by him and called after her. He sighed in frustration as she rounded the corner before he shook his head and flew after her. He had to keep her away from that fight.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters.

Bulma continued to run towards the throne room, hoping the fight hadn’t started yet. Once Vegeta saw that she was okay, she knew he’d be able to concentrate on fighting his father. What she didn’t know was that Vegeta already knew she was in good hands with Kakarot and her placing herself in the middle of a fight was not going to help his concentration.

Vegeta barged into the throne room; he was angry and volatile. One word would set him off. The king saw this and smirked. “So, I guess the bitch contacted you,” he said. “I’m surprised such a primitive and weak creature like her could bond with a strong Saiyan warrior such as yourself.” Vegeta did not grace him with a response and the king’s expression soured. “You’ve gotten yourself in way too deep, son.”

“You are no father of mine,” Vegeta stated dangerously. “I’m sick of your actions. You are a terrible king. You’ve hurt my mate; you’ve hurt mother; you were willing to let Tarble die knowing that he isn’t a fighter. How could you treat your family this way?”

“The key to being a great leader is to hold power over your subjects and the only way to achieve that is to make them fear you,” the king said. “Your grandfather was weak, and that is why he died. The respect he had did not keep him alive. Now, no one will ever have the gall to challenge me.”

“If you believe that,” Vegeta started walking closer towards his father’s throne, “then you are even more of a fool than I believed.” He stopped when he was standing directly across from his father. “I am the one who will be ending your miserable life and freeing the people from your tyranny.”

The king glared at Vegeta and stood up. “Boy, you are a disobedient shit and I will make sure you learn your lesson today.”

Both fighters crouched down into their fighting positions. Vegeta was studying his father’s stance. It was full of unguarded points, but Vegeta wasn’t surprised. His father hadn’t trained in years because of his weapon. The young Saiyan hoped that this fight would be over quickly.

He phased from his spot, stunning the king with his disappearance, and hit him from behind. The king stumbled forward and turned to face his son. Vegeta was shaking his head, a look of disgust plastered on his face.

“Look at you,” he growled. “You’re even weaker than the third classes whose lives you’ve ruined.”

The king snarled at Vegeta threateningly. “Shut up, boy. My power level is much higher than theirs.”

“Quite true,” Vegeta replied. “But power levels don’t decide a battle’s victor. Strategy is what brings victory, and father, you have no strategy.”

“Boy, shut up!” the king shouted as he powered up and angrily charged at Vegeta. Vegeta managed to dodge his father’s initial attack easily. He rolled his eyes at how his father was behaving. It almost made him feel dishonored. He let this man run his life since he was a child; he let the people of this planet suffer under his rule, and he wasn’t even strong enough to defend his crown.

“Father, this fight is ridiculous,” Vegeta stated. “Surrender now and maybe I will spare your pathetic existence.”

“Never!” the king shouted as he once again charged at Vegeta.

Vegeta was ready for him and braced himself for impact. He powered up himself and pulled his arm back, ready to punch his incoming father. Before the king could hit Vegeta, Vegeta’s glowing fist made contact with his father’s energy. The force of their energy meeting blew his father back into his throne, breaking the metallic object. Vegeta managed to stay right in his place, although slightly pushed back on the flat surface.

The king struggled to get up, looking worse for wear after one punch. This truly was pathetic. He hoped that his father would see how useless this fight was for him. If he had surrendered, Vegeta would have let him live and placed him in the dungeon to waste away into nothing, like poor Gine had. Now, he would not let his father walk away alive. He hadn’t even needed to transform into Super Saiyan. He started walking towards his father, ready to deal the finishing blast.

“Vegeta!” Vegeta paused in his trek towards his father when he heard Bulma’s voice. His eyes widened in slight fear. She couldn’t be there right now, not when he was dealing with his father. It was too dangerous, for her and their child, to be anywhere near the fight.

The king saw his son’s apprehension and zoned out expression. He used that to his advantage and speedily charged Vegeta, cheaply hitting him in the gut. It was enough of a distraction to make his move. Vegeta turned to face him, ready to attack with a small ki blast when he gasped. His father was holding Bulma with a ki blast aimed at her stomach. He was playing dirty now and Vegeta knew it. His ki blast disappeared as he looked at his father incredulously.

“Don’t you dare,” Vegeta growled out. His father was pushing his luck. Vegeta’s anger was already starting to change his surrounding energy from blue to yellow. “Release her now.”

The king started laughing maniacally slightly shaking Bulma in the process. Bulma looked up at the king with a glare. She hated being used against people. When she was a child, thugs would kidnap her to get her father to pay large sums of money. Now she was being used against her mate and that was not okay with her.

“Now where’s the fun in that?” the king answered snidely. “If I can’t have her, the least I can do is hold her in my arms for a while.” He took the arm he had wrapped around her and started sliding his hand up and down her body. That wasn’t sitting well with either Bulma or Vegeta.

“Let go,” Bulma whispered, though she tried not to. Her heart rate started to pick up, but in panic. Breathing started to become a chore to her. “Let go…now.”

The king didn’t like being ordered around and was about to scold the woman in his arms, but her saw that her eyes were glossed over and that she was struggling to breathe. He grinned sadistically knowing what was happening to her. His son’s mate was having a severe panic attack, and his actions were the cause.

Vegeta also noticed Bulma’s reaction. _What’s wrong?_ he asked her with worry through their bond.

_I…I don’t know. Just when he was…touching me…I just feel so terrible, Vegeta. I can’t stomach it. I…I can barely breathe._

_Woman, you need to calm down,_ Vegeta told her, now knowing that she was having a panic attack. His father had given him plenty of anxiety attacks when he was younger. _Just focus on breathing normally. I will get you away from him._

_How?_

Vegeta didn’t have an answer for her, but he relaxed when he sensed Kakarot’s energy. He wasn’t too far away, and he would be the perfect distraction for his father. He would be able to make sure his mate was fine before he took his father’s life.

“This is a low move, even for you, father,” Vegeta snapped bitterly as an attempt to stall. However, he was silently telling Bulma that he had a plan. That little piece of knowledge was helping Bulma start to calm herself. She knew she had to. Stress wasn’t good for her or the baby.

“You shouldn’t have mated with a weakling, son,” the king replied while smirking. “This bitch is too weak. She will be your ultimate downfall at some point. I’m sure you can already see why.”

“I am no one’s weakness,” Bulma stated, the light starting to return to her eyes. The king stared down at her in shock. She looked up at him defiantly. “I may be physically weak, but I know that mentally I am a hell of a lot stronger than you.”

The king couldn’t help but chuckle. “Well, she’s got a mouth on her, that’s for sure. Very Saiyan-like. Now I can see it a little more, why you fell for her I mean. However…” he said while squeezing her arm enough for all three in the room to hear a crack. Bulma yelped in pain from the break, but she still kept her angered expression. “You should learn your place.”

“I already do,” she said looking over to Vegeta. _It’s with you…always._ Vegeta’s eyes widened at her kind words. She chose now to say something so warm to him, and he couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t be focused on her life being in danger. _You complete me, and I love you,_ she told him.

Before Vegeta could respond, Bulma did something very brave and stupid. She elbowed his father very hard in the gut, taking the older man by surprise and causing him to spit up blood. While he was distracted, she managed to slip out of his hold and ran over to Vegeta. He roughly put his arms around her to move her behind him as his father recovered and moved to attack the two of them. Vegeta didn’t have enough time to recover after moving Bulma out of the way; he couldn’t defend himself.

Which was why it was a good thing that his father got shot in the shoulder by a ki blast. The king fell to the ground and slid into the opposite wall. Vegeta looked to Kakarot and nodded his thanks. While his father was down, he turned to Bulma and quickly checked her for injuries.

“I’m okay, Vegeta,” she said putting her good hand on his arm. His hand rested on her face gently pushing her hair from it.

“You shouldn’t have come to the battlefield,” he admonished her gently. “You took a great risk.”

“I needed you to know that I was okay,” she told him, still not understanding the bond.

“I already knew,” he told her. “I could feel in through the bond. I can tell I’m going to need to explain this more to you later.” Bulma smiled in response, but the peace was short-lived when they heard Vegeta’s father grumble. “Kakarot,” he called to his best friend, “you need to get Bulma to the infirmary. Get her a senzu bean to heal her arm.”

“Got it,” Kakarot said with a smile and a nod. “And Vegeta…” He and Vegeta exchanged serious glances. “Take him down.” Vegeta responded with a two finger wave, a salute between kin, which Kakarot returned before taking Bulma carefully in his arms and flying her to the infirmary.

Vegeta looked back to his father who looked both angry and deranged. His energy spiked higher than Vegeta had expected and he narrowly dodge two large, black energy blasts his father sent his way. Something was wrong with his father’s energy, but Vegeta hadn’t sensed it before. It felt darker than he remembered it. Vegeta gasped at his realization.

“Dark energy, father?” he asked in shock. “Why would you even tamper with that?”

“Because,” his father snarled with a voice that did not sound like his own, “it’s just enough to take you out for good.”

Vegeta shook his head in disgust. Dark energy was said to be a myth. The energy itself was considered evil and increased the strength of the warrior yielding it, but they had to exchange something for it. It was energy reserved for those who cared about no one and would sacrifice even their closest relative to gain the power. It was dark energy from another realm, and almost nothing could defeat it.

“So…who’s life did you trade for this vile power?” Vegeta grumbled.

The king chuckled darkly. “Don’t worry, boy. I didn’t trade any of your lives. I traded my own soul many, many years ago, back when I killed your grandfather and took the throne. If someone ever had come to me with the power to defeat me, I would use it. You’re lucky boy; you will be the only Saiyan other than me to ever see this power. Quite an honor.”

“More like degrading,” Vegeta retorted, “you sorry excuse for a warrior.”

He got into his fighting stance again before he and his father began trading blows of energy. The king got a few decent punches on Vegeta’s face and gut, but the prince was still holding his own. It was much harder now that his father revealed this new energy. If he didn’t win soon, Vegeta would have to go Super Saiyan. He couldn’t take much more abuse. The dark energy was ripping through his skin, and Vegeta was sure he had some broken bones just from the few hits.

Vegeta let his guard down for a split second, and his father managed to get in a good hit. The young prince was blasted across the room by a dark energy beam. He got onto his hands and knees to catch his breath while his father laughed at his predicament.

“Is this the best you have to offer, son?” the king taunted. “All your talk and you’re still the weak little kid I used to beat.”

Vegeta glared at growled at his father, still trying to forget those difficult days of his childhood. He had never told anyone, not even his mother, how violent his father had been with him. That was when Vegeta lost all respect for him as a parental figure.

“Aw, it’s all right, Vegeta,” his father cooed arrogantly. “Maybe in another year or so you’d be able to stand up to me, but now you’ll be lucky if I let either you or your mate live.”

Vegeta was starting to get pissed as his father started writing him off as a weak fighter. He had worked hard to get the power he had, a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. His father just bargained his own life for power which took no effort, and it would yield no results.

“You say I am weak,” Vegeta stated, “yet I know I am stronger than you. You sold your soul for power, and that was a mistake. Power must be earned, just like respect. You have neither.”

The king looked very amused and crossed his arms. “Oh? And you think you have power over me?”

Vegeta smirked and flared his energy. His father’s eyes widened. He couldn’t sense energy, but even standing across the room he could sense the force of Vegeta’s energy. Vegeta’s hair shifted from black to blonde, his eyes becoming teal. He didn’t give his father the chance to register his transformation before he powered up as much as he could and formed an energy blast in his hand.

“Yes, father, I do have the power,” Vegeta said in amusement, “and you are about to feel just how strong I truly am.”

* * *

Kakarot got Bulma to the infirmary and set her down on a table while he searched for the senzu bean. Bulma sighed and nervously kicked her feet a little bit as she waited. Then she gasped as she remembered something.

“Bulma, what’s wrong?” Kakarot asked her, worried that she was hurt worse than he though.

“When the king came into my room and took me to the dungeons, I saw Nappa unconscious outside the room,” she said with tears in her eyes. “Kakarot, what if he…?”

Kakarot used his energy to search for Nappa’s energy. It was still pretty strong, as if he were just asleep, so the king must not have done too much damage. “He’s okay, Bulma.”

“Please,” Bulma pleaded, “he’s been good to me from the beginning. Can you please go get him? I’ll be fine.”

Kakarot shook his head. He didn’t want to leave Bulma alone, just in case something were to go wrong, but he sensed another energy heading towards Vegeta’s and Bulma’s room. _What’s the queen doing out of her room?_ he asked himself. He shook his head. He couldn’t worry about that at the moment. What he really needed was to find the senzu beans, but he couldn’t figure out where his father had put them. Bulma just sighed again, worried about her mate and now Nappa. She put her hand to her stomach and rubbed it to quell the energy she felt stirring inside.

* * *

Queen Kalina was roaming the halls. She needed to go check on her daughter. That was how she saw Bulma now, and she was worried. When she had gotten out of the bath, she realized that her mate was gone and she was worried about the plan being shot to hell. Her first concern was Bulma since the young girl did not have the power to defend herself against the king; however, when she got to the room, she saw Nappa unconscious and nearly shouted. She got down on her knees and desperately patted Nappa’s face.

“Nappa, please wake up,” she said in fear. Nappa was her most trusted guard and friend, and seeing him like this because of her mate made her feel like she was stabbed in the heart.

Nappa slowly started blinking his eyes open and saw his queen kneeling over him. He smirked at her and weakly lifted his hand to move her hair from her face. “My queen,” he said tiredly, “am I actually seeing tears in your eyes?”

The queen gasped and quickly wiped the tears. She had only cried two times in her life before this moment, both times when she lost loved ones. Nappa grabbed her hand to stop her rapid movements. “A-are you okay?” she asked him. Nappa nodded in response as she moved to help him up. “We need to get you to the infirmary. Can you make it?”

“Of course,” Nappa replied arrogantly. “I’ll be fine.” Just then, the two of them felt Vegeta’s energy increase rapidly. Nappa looked down to the queen and saw the fear in her eyes. “Don’t worry, my queen,” he said. “Vegeta will be fine too.”

“I really hope so, Nappa,” she whispered. “I really, truly hope so.”

* * *

“No…” the king said in a whisper. “It’s not possible.”

“When it is needed the most, the transformation will occur in warriors that are pure of heart,” Vegeta recited. “That is something you would never understand, father.”

“When?” his father questioned.

Vegeta shrugged. “Does it matter?” he asked. “The fact of the matter is that I can defeat you. It’s over father.”

The king held his hands up in defeat. “You’re right boy. Why don’t you come closer and finish me off?”

Vegeta’s brow rose in confusion. He didn’t expect his father to truly surrender. Vegeta scoffed at how weak his father was acting. He walked closer to his father, a sphere of energy in his hand. The king still would not move. Vegeta watched him carefully trying to tell what his father was thinking. At the last second, a smirk appeared on his father’s face. The king disappeared from view, his energy disappearing momentarily. Vegeta froze, searching frantically for his father in the room. The next thing he registered was pure agony as his father shoved a dark lightning sphere into Vegeta’s back while grabbing onto his tail and crushing it. Vegeta roared out in pain, loud enough to reach all the way across the castle.

* * *

Bulma had taken the senzu bean and her arm healed instantly. She sighed in relief as the pain she had been feeling left her. “Lie down, princess,” Kakarot ordered. “You should get some rest. You’ve had a very trying day.”

“Kakarot,” Bulma said softly, “please…please go get Nappa. The king is nowhere near here, and Vegeta would never let him out of his sight. Please…”

“That won’t be necessary,” they heard the queen say. They both looked to the doorway of the infirmary and saw Queen Kalina assisting Nappa.

Kakarot rushed to go help them and led Nappa to a table. The queen wouldn’t leave his side as Kakarot forced him to lie down and got an ice pack for his head. He knew a little bit of first aid from his father and mate, especially because he and Vegeta let each other have it quite often. Speaking of Vegeta, everyone except for Bulma tensed and panicked as they heard the prince’s anguished cry. Bulma couldn’t hear it, but she felt her mate’s distress.

“Vegeta!” she exclaimed desperately. She looked to Kakarot who was already out the door.

The queen looked over to her daughter in shock. “Bulma…did you feel him?” she asked. Bulma looked to her with worry etched on her features. When Bulma nodded, the queen also responded with a nod. She was shocked that Bulma could sense her son’s pain, especially when they hadn’t shown signs of a full bond before. Knowing this made the situation bittersweet. The queen could only hope that things would work out. Then her son and his mate could finally get some much needed rest, before undoing all the damage the king had caused, and some peace for themselves.

* * *

Vegeta forced himself to his hands and knees, the pain flashing through his body again causing him to collapse. Electricity was a Saiyan’s number one weakness, aside from their tails. His father disgusted him for stooping so low. A fake surrender was a cheap move. All his father had was cheap moves.

Vegeta attempted to get up again, but his father kicked him in his gut. The prince coughed up blood as his father continued to aggressively kick him. For a moment, Vegeta did feel like he did when he was a child. He chose to stare at a spot on the wall, praying for the abuse to end soon.

After a while the kicks stopped and Vegeta registered the sound of his father groaning. He refocused his eyes and settled them on Kakarot who was in his Super Saiyan form beating the life out of his father. Vegeta managed to stand up shakily and hang onto a pillar. Breathing raggedly, his eyes met Kakarot’s in silent thanks. Kakarot released his hold on the king who collapsed to the floor looking like a rag doll. Vegeta understood his friend’s silent gesture. His father’s death belonged to him.

Vegeta weakly limped over to his father’s form. The elder Saiyan looked up to Vegeta, his eyes red and his breathing ragged. “Go ahead, boy. Finish me…if you have the guts.”

Vegeta grabbed his father by his neck, crushing the bones under his fingertips. He forced him to look into his eyes and said, “You killed my grandfather, beat me, raped mother, belittled Tarble. You threatened the life of my mate and our unborn child. You destroyed countless treaties and lives across the universe, and now your time has come. Any last words?”

“Just a few,” the king replied hoarsely. “You are my son, and you are just like me. Remember that.”

“Vegeta is nothing like you,” Kakarot said forcefully. Vegeta cast him a thankful glance. He really needed the reassurance sometimes. He looked back to his father, hate shining in his eye as he created another blast in his hands. He aimed it for the king’s chest and let it go. The king’s energy disappeared seconds later.

To be sure, Kakarot got down on his knees and checked for a pulse, heartbeat, and breathing. “He’s dead,” he stated monotonously. He looked up to his friend and new king. “You did it, Vegeta.”

Vegeta shook his head. “We did it, Kakarot.” But before Vegeta could say or do anything else, he passed out from the energy lose, returning to his base form.

Kakarot caught him, also returning to base form, and shook his head. “Oh Vegeta, you always overdo it.” He smiled at his own comment and started to fly Vegeta to the infirmary. He was going to have to call his father in to make sure everyone was okay after such an intense battle.

* * *

When Kakarot got Vegeta to the infirmary, Nappa was sitting up comforting the queen. She had been so worried about her son, but at least she knew that her mate could not hurt any of them again. Kakarot put Vegeta on another free table and nearly got knocked down by Bulma. “Is he going to be okay?” she whispered, her concern radiating off her. Kakarot looked at his friend’s battered and bleeding body and smiled.

“Yeah, Bulma,” he told her. “This is nothing. He just needs some rest. We all do. Anyway, I’m going to go get my dad to come check everybody out.”

“Thank you, Kakarot,” the queen said softly. “For everything, especially for having my son’s back.”

Kakarot just grinned. “No problem, your majesty. I’ll be back.” He powered up and quickly flew out of the room.

Bulma looked down at Vegeta’s sleeping face and stroked his cheek. He unconsciously leaned into her hand. The queen and Nappa watched with knowing smiles on their faces as Vegeta’s eyes twitched open. He smirked when he saw Bulma standing over him and took her hand before closing his eyes again.

Bulma smiled at his small gesture, just because she knew he would be okay. “I can’t believe we pulled that off,” Bulma said in a whisper.

Vegeta nodded. “It was a close call.”

“How?” Nappa snorted. “That bastard hasn’t been training for over a decade. How could he even keep up with you?”

Vegeta opened his eyes again and forced himself to sit up, ignoring the dizziness he felt. He looked to his mother and Nappa seriously. “He traded his soul for dark energy,” he told them. When they gasped, Bulma looked between the three of them.

“What?” she asked. “What did I miss?”

The queen frowned and shook her head. She looked over to Bulma and the young girl could see the sadness in her eyes. “It’s a powerful energy, but one only has access to it if they are willing to sacrifice their own soul or the souls of others.”

“But that’s not right,” Bulma said with confusion. “He didn’t work for that energy.”

“That’s what I told him,” Vegeta grumbled.

“How did you surpass dark energy, kid?” Nappa asked.

Vegeta smirked and nonchalantly said, “I just went Super Saiyan, that’s all. Kakarot too.”

All but Bulma gaped at him. Bulma just smiled and kissed his cheek. She had already known about his transformation and was very proud of him.

“H-how?” his mother asked him.

Vegeta’s smirk disappeared. This was the part he didn’t want to admit to his mother. She and Gine were always friendly with each other, like sisters, and it would devastate her. “Kakarot’s mother…” He looked away from her. “She didn’t make it.”

Before anyone could respond, Kakarot returned with Bardock. “Is everyone all right?” Bardock asked in concern.

“We’re all fine,” the queen replied.

“Good,” Bardock replied before starting his checkup on each individual. When he got to Vegeta he said, “You did well, Prince Vegeta.”

Vegeta nodded. “What are we going to do about the trash in the throne room?”

“We’ll worry about that tomorrow,” Nappa said. “Tonight I think we all need a good night’s sleep.”

“I’m good with that,” Bulma said with a sigh, wrapping her arms around Vegeta. He took his arm and caressed her while Bardock checked him over for any severe internal injuries. He was given a senzu bean to repairs the small breaks in his bones.

Afterwards he and Bulma headed to their room to get some much needed rest. Everyone was able to stay at the palace without fear now that the king was dead. Vegeta and Bulma didn’t say much to each other when she started washing the dried blood from his skin. He watched her intently as she helped him remove his torn shirt. Their eyes met briefly before Vegeta took her in his arms and lied her down with him. He lightly pressed his lips to hers, pulling back slowly to gage her reaction, both keeping their serious expressions. Bulma leaned forward to return his gesture while gently stroking the back of his neck at his hairline. When she pulled away, Vegeta pressed her gently to his body and placed his head on top of hers. The two mates both rested their hands on her stomach, his atop of hers, rubbing it slightly and silently saying “goodnight” to their child. They allowed themselves to fall asleep after the hectic day. When they woke up the next day, they knew they would have to start making the changes for their people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. It took a couple days to write ;3 I’m sure everyone can picture that salute between kin (it’s the same salute Vegeta and Trunks exchanged in the show…that is one of my fav DBZ scenes and I needed to work it in). The next chapter is repairing the damage Vegeta’s father caused, and also a few surprises (good surprises for once).


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters

Vegeta peeked his eyes opened as soon as the light peeked through his window. He moved to stretch, but realized that he had Bulma resting against him. He gently slid her to the other side of the bed so that she could continue sleeping while he went to check out the throne room. As he left the room, he cast her a glance full of longing before closing the door.

The throne room looked bare, clean as if a fight had never occurred. The only things that could convince Vegeta he was in fact free were the broken throne and ki-singed pillars. He was looking around when Nappa entered the room.

“It’s over now, Vegeta,” he said. “The palace designers will be redoing the throne room. They plan on restoring it to its former glory.”

Vegeta nodded his approval. “Good,” he said monotonously. “Send a guard out to the people. He will tell them that the king is dead. A celebration will be held at the end of the week so that I may publically accept Bulma as my mate. I want the council reinstated before then so that Bulma and I may be coronated. The old laws must be restored, and I want the workers to get restarted on rebuilding homes soon after. A feast will be held to restore their strength, and I want everyone to receive water for their families.”

Nappa smirked at the young prince, soon to be king. “Yes, your majesty.”

“Cut the crap, Nappa,” Vegeta growled slightly. “You know better than to use titles with me.”

“Right, kid,” Nappa replied with a smile. “Anything else?”

“Yes,” Vegeta stated. “Have a few ships ready. I want some designated for the army after the coronation. I want to send ambassadors to the remaining allied planets. We need to restore my grandfather’s friendships. I also need two large ships for the concubines. I will give them each an allowance so that they can buy their freedom when they return to the slave planet. They can go wherever they want, but they are not staying here. They should be able to return their homes.”

“I’ll get the allowances taken care of, kid,” Nappa offered. “You go do what you have to.” Vegeta nodded and sped out of the throne room. He then made his way for his father’s wing of the palace.

* * *

Bulma woke up and realized that she was alone. She wasn’t surprised since both she and Vegeta had a lot to do. There was a knock on the door as soon as she stood up to change, so she answered it. Queen Kalina was standing there with Tarble, who was wheeling in a large breakfast cart.

“We thought you might be hungry after such a long fight,” the queen said. “Would you mind if we join you?”

Bulma smiled and stepped out the way, motioning for them to enter. “Not at all,” she said. “Come in.”

Tarble quickly got the cart inside so that he could give Bulma a hug. “Hi, sissy,” he said happily.

Bulma was slightly shocked by the new nickname, though he had called her that once before, but she loved it nonetheless. She hugged him back and ruffled his hair making the young boy laugh. It was the first time Bulma had seen him this happy. Her heart clenched thinking of the fact that neither prince could experience much of a childhood. She now understood why Vegeta called the palace a prison. The only time she saw the elder prince experience any joy was when he was out with the people, playing with the children. Even his relationship with her had originally been a trap. Vegeta had truly never been free. Bulma frowned at the thought of being another weight that Vegeta had to bear.

“Bulma, are you all right?” Queen Kalina asked her. “You look pale.”

Bulma smiled at her concern. It almost reminded her of her own mother. “I’m fine,” she lied. “Just very tired.”

“Well, that is to be expected,” the queen replied. “You had a very trying day yesterday. You should just take the day to recuperate.”

Bulma was shocked that the queen would say that. Today was very important. She and Vegeta needed to work together to fix the planet’s problems. “But I can’t,” she said. “I need to finish working on the plans for the water purification system. That, and I was going to have Chi Chi and Bardock help me figure out what medical tools we have to work with. The healthcare system needs to be fixed. Oh, and I need to update the shield system and-”

“Bulma!” Queen Kalina interrupted. “You need to breathe. There is a lot that needs to be done before you can implement your new projects. You and Vegeta must be coronated and I’m sure he is having the council reinstated for that. Then the people who would be the ones doing all of the building work for the new projects need to be refreshed. My mate did not take care of his people well. And that’s just the technical stuff that needs to be dealt with. Have you forgotten that you are pregnant, and with a Saiyan child no less? You need to rest, especially after yesterday.”

Bulma sat back down on the bed. It wasn’t that she had forgotten about the baby, but she hadn’t been focusing on her health or the risks of a human carrying a Saiyan child. “You’re right,” Bulma whispered, feeling slightly guilty about overlooking her own safety. “I’ll rest today.”

The queen and Tarble smiled at her and then to each other. They both truly cared for the human girl and were worried about her. They hadn’t meant to scare her, but neither wanted her to overdo it. Things would be difficult for the people over the next few months, but fixing everything wouldn’t happen overnight, no matter what the queen’s stubborn son and his mate wanted to believe.

“Alright,” Tarble spoke up. “Let’s eat breakfast. I’m starved.”

Bulma smiled at her little “brother-in-law” and nodded. At least he seemed happier. It made all of the drama from the day before well worth it.

* * *

Vegeta made it to his father’s quarters and took a deep breath to prepare himself. He opened the doors and walked into the large room only to see hordes of women waiting there. They all looked towards the door as they heard it opened. They were tensed and fearful at the initial sound, but relaxed when they saw that it was not the king, but the prince. A few of them started to move towards him.

“No,” Vegeta stated forcefully. They stopped dead in their tracts looking to the young prince with confusion lighting their eyes. “I am not here for that. My father is dead and I am here to let you go. Do not worry; you will all be taken care of.”

None of the girls spoke. They were trained not to, unless they were asked of course. Vegeta sighed as he remembered his father mentioning something about that rule. “If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to me or anyone else on the planet. We will make sure you have enough money to buy your freedom and return to your homes.”

He heard a group of gasps. It made him cringe as he thought of them not being able to speak because of his father’s laws. How could he treat a woman like that? Was that how his father had expected him to act with Bulma? No, he could have never have silenced her in such a manner. It was complete and utter disrespect, and no one deserved that.

One girl hesitantly walked up to Vegeta. She was wearing a long robe with long sleeves that covered her hands. Vegeta couldn’t believe it. She looked to be only thirteen years old. Before Vegeta could ask her, the girl grasped his arm with her small hands and looked up at him breaking down into tears.

Vegeta grew uncomfortable, but then looked around to all the other women. They were all crying, too. It amazed him, to be surrounded by so many despairing women. He knew he hadn’t caused their pain; he knew he hadn’t kept them trapped in here. What he did know was that they were crying because they didn’t know what to do with their newfound freedom; the news had overwhelmed them.

Vegeta couldn’t stand not being able to do anything, so he awkwardly hugged the younger girl back to comfort her. He knew he was doing the right thing when the tears stopped and he was met with smiles. “Pack your things,” he told them. “You’ll be leaving tonight.”

“Thank you,” the young girl in his arms whispered. He heard a few gasps, but ignored them.

“You’re welcome.”

* * *

Bulma was lying in bed, still thinking about how Vegeta was stuck with her. He hadn’t had a choice when his father proposed his challenge. The whole thing wasn’t fair. Now Vegeta would never have the freedom to explore his other options. He would have had plenty had she not come into the picture, maybe even a Saiyan girl instead of a weaker human like her.

Vegeta entered the room without Bulma’s knowledge. He had traced her ki to the room. She had not left it all day, which pleased him knowing that she had gone through a lot of stress the day before. She didn’t hear him come in, nor did she notice his presence. Vegeta froze when he smelled the scent of fresh tears. His mate was crying, hurt, saddened by something, and he didn’t like it. He chose to comfort her and quietly slipped into bed next to her.

Bulma gasped when she felt the bed shift, but relaxed when she felt Vegeta’s strong arms around her. “Hey,” she greeted quietly.

“Why are you crying?” Vegeta whispered in her ear. “I hate it when women cry.”

Bulma smiled slightly and rested her hands on top of his. “I just feel bad that even though you’re free of your father, I am still trapping you.”

Vegeta scoffed and said, “That’s the most foolish thing I have ever heard you say. I willingly took you as a mate, Bulma. It was my decision.”

“Based off of a challenge your father posed,” Bulma responded. “If we hadn’t been placed in that position-”

“I would do it all again,” he finished. He felt Bulma tense in shock. “Does ‘anata wa, watashi ni tarinai subete o oginatte kureru’ mean nothing to you?” Bulma relaxed when his husky voice whispered the words into her ear a few more times. He dusted her cheek with small kisses. “You are my yuubutsu, my bonded mate,” he reminded her. “You are the mother of my unborn child, and soon you will be my queen.” He nuzzled into her hair. “And I wanted you to be mine.”

Bulma shivered as he started to kiss her neck, though not in fear. She didn’t even stop him when he slid her sleeve to uncover her shoulder. When his tongue met her bare skin, Bulma leaned her head back against his chest. Vegeta smirked against her shoulder. He was not planning on pushing her much farther than this, at least for the moment. She still needed to warm up to him again after all that had happened last time.

His hands moved under her shirt to reach her stomach. He still couldn’t believe that she was pregnant with his child. Vegeta felt like he needed to sense its energy. After everything with his father, he would not take his mate’s or child’s life for granted. He focused his energy to find the little life inside of his mate. His eyes opened wide at what he felt. Shock could not even begin to describe the look on his face.

Bulma felt Vegeta freeze and turned to face her mate. When she saw his expression, she frowned. “What?” she asked him while gently stroking his cheek.

“Twins,” he told her. “We’re having twins.”

Vegeta was still in shock when Bulma nearly tackled him off the bed. She was laughing, a new wave of tears falling from her smiling face. Vegeta remembered her saying something about crying because of extreme happiness once before. These tears Vegeta could handle.

His arms found their way around her again, this time pulling her into a hug. He nuzzled her nose against her neck, and she did the same to him. They both let out a sigh of contentment. Tomorrow, they would definitely be shouting this news from the rooftops. The king was dead, their family safe, and now two little lives would be brought into their world. No one could ask for anything better.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters.

Vegeta still couldn’t get over the feeling of the two little kis resting and growing inside of Bulma. It was strange to think that they had been created out of circumstance, a challenge, but now he could only see them as a product of what he felt for the woman resting in his arms. After they fell asleep the previous night, Vegeta continued to track their energy during the night. The energy they exuded was what had woken him up only minutes before. Soon their mother would be awake as well and then their day could be started. There was still so much to do.

Thankfully, Nappa had already sent the concubines to the slave planet. He no longer felt their kis in his father’s wing. When they’d arrive, they would finally be able to get out of that life with the allowances and return to their homes and families.

Vegeta did sense energies in his father’s wing, probably cleaning that area of the palace. He already had plans for what he was going to do with that. He had plans for the guest wing as well. It was another reason he desperately wanted to go about the day, but he would not rush Bulma to wake. She needed rest, but he also wanted her to come with him.

Bulma shifted, and Vegeta looked hopeful that she would wake, but she was still sound asleep. He smirked and thought of a gentle way to wake her up. Today was not a day where he wanted to be patient.

Her eyes fluttered open when she felt Vegeta’s gentle nips and kisses on her neck. It brought a smile to her face as she curled further into his warmth. Vegeta chuckled, but then grew serious again as he laid his head down directly in front of hers.

“Good morning,” she said softly.

“Hn,” Vegeta grunted before kissing her lips. “There’s something I need to take care of today.”

“Well, that was blunt,” Bulma teased. “Why are you telling me? Your mother was worried about me doing too much yesterday.”

“This won’t take too much energy,” Vegeta explained. “I’m going to visit Kakarot and his family.”

Bulma’s face lit up. That meant they were going out into the kingdom for the day. She remembered the day Vegeta snuck her out of the palace and then the day Nappa and Onior brought her out, but then she remembered the last time she visited their home two nights prior. “I wish she hadn’t had to lose her life,” Bulma said sadly.

Vegeta nodded in agreement. Gine shouldn’t have been in those conditions. “Her death was not in vain,” Vegeta replied trying to rationalize what had happened in his own mind. “If it hadn’t happened, Kakarot and I would not have been as enraged as we were, and most likely wouldn’t have transformed.”

Despite his rationalization, both Vegeta and Bulma grew serious and quiet. Then, Bulma thought about what they had discussed the previous night and smiled. “Twins,” she whispered. “Did I ever tell you I always wanted to be a twin?”

Vegeta, still bothered by the previous topic, managed a small smirk. “No, you did not,” he told her. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” she answered. “Just thought it would be fun. Especially if twins are identical. Hell, even if they aren’t, they always managed to cause trouble.”

Vegeta chuckled. “If they cause trouble, they’ll have me to answer to,” he joked. “Hopefully we have time before that point.”

“Of course,” Bulma replied. “Only a few years though…then they’ll be little terrors.”

Vegeta wrapped his arms around Bulma and genuinely smiled. Even though she couldn’t see his smile, she could feel his happiness radiating in waves. It must have been because of the bond. It made her wonder what else the bond could do. She was already aware of sensing emotions and mental communication. She hadn’t explored the bond further than that.

“Let’s get dressed,” Vegeta suggested. “We shall head to the kitchen for breakfast and then leave.”

Bulma’s eyes lit up at the thought about eating in the kitchen. She had rarely left the room before Vegeta defeated the father save to the lab, but now she could actually walk freely in the castle. It was no longer a prison, but truly her new home. “I’d like that.”

* * *

“Vegeta!” Kakarot exclaimed happily when his friend arrived outside his family’s home. Before Vegeta responded, he set Bulma down gently, and she unwrapped her arms from around his neck.

“Kakarot,” Vegeta replied seriously. “I have something I need to discuss with you and your family.”

“Um, okay,” Kakarot replied, revealing both shock and confusion. Then he smiled and motioned for them to enter. “Come on in.”

The house was peacefully quiet with sadness from the loss of Gine. Bardock looked up at the two royals and grinned slightly. “My prince and princess,” he said sincerely, “or should I say my king and queen?”

“Not until the coronation, Bardock,” Vegeta retorted. “Nor do you have to call us that.”

Bulma smiled at Vegeta. It amazed her how open he was with his people. His persona demanded respect from all, but he seemed to deny his title with those he was closest. He respected his people just as they revered him, and he never treated them like anything less than he was.

“I will always show the proper respect,” Bardock told him, “because you deserve it, especially after what you’ve gone through and what you’ve done.”

“With the help of your family,” Vegeta reminded him, “which is why I am here.” He paused for a moment, taking in everyone’s curious expressions. Smirking, he said, “With the former king’s quarters being taken care of and cleaned, and me having no desire to go there, I was hoping that you and your family would join us in the palace. I have a similar proposition for the other ‘third-classes’ for my own wing.”

“For real?” Kakarot asked, though he really wasn’t surprised.

“You mean our whole family gets to live in the palace?”

Vegeta looked over to the doorway and saw Raditz and Turles standing there dumbfounded by what they overheard as they got in from their late night binge.

“Yes,” Vegeta replied simply. Bulma again smiled at her mate, happy that he was the way he was and didn’t let his father mold him into anything less of the man he truly was.

“That’s awesome!” the two brothers exclaimed before laughing like idiots.

Chi Chi entered the room with Gohan, staring strangely at the laughing bunch. “I guess they’re drunk again,” she muttered under her breath. Bulma made her way over to her and whispered the good news into her ear, causing the dark-haired woman to grin. “Are you serious?”

Bulma looked back over to her mate, and said quietly, “When is he ever not?”

* * *

Vegeta and Bulma arrived back to the palace shortly after visiting the square. All had been happy to see the prince and princess alive and well after hearing the good news the day prior. He had offered the third-class soldiers a place in his wing until their homes could be rebuilt, reminding everyone about the upcoming wedding and coronation. He wanted everyone in the kingdom there so they could be nourished and ready to start working on the homes. Now that they also had the energy from the tōgoku, they could finally start getting their planet back in order. Once they were well together again, and once the soldiers came back from trying to reinstate treaties, they would be able to implement some of Bulma’s new inventions and systems. Finally things were working out.

“I get that you wanted to bring everyone into the palace, and I am all for that,” Bulma spoke up as she started packing the bags Vegeta had brought from her home, “but why did you want to give them your wing?”

Vegeta sighed as he looked around the room. This room held so many memories for him, and most of them were bad. Years of being sent to his room beaten and broken, hiding there to avoid crossing paths with his father, lying in bed awake as he heard the sobs of his mother over in the next wing, along with his father’s disgusting challenge…he just couldn’t do it. Where he had no regrets about being with Bulma, this room was just like what the rest of the palace used to be, a prison.

“I do not want to stay in this room another night,” he stated. “I want to have a new start.”

Bulma understood instantly and paused in her packing. She looked back towards Vegeta who was now staring out the room’s window. Joining him, the two of them looked out into the kingdom, their kingdom. “It’s beautiful out there,” she said in a daze. She was looking up at the black and red sky. She had to admit that she did miss Earth a lot, but she could see herself falling in love with this planet as she had the planet’s prince.

“Yes,” Vegeta replied in a whisper. It had been too long since he had been able to admire his own planet and its scenery. He always worried about everything else, and his father. Now, he could actually feel the peace of watching the suns set. The sky was changing from red to a violet-red color, and Vegeta could see the wonder in Bulma’s eyes as they watched it together. It caused a small smile to form on his lips before he pulled her closer to him. His right arm snaked around her waist, to which she responded by lying her head against his shoulder.

“Come now,” Vegeta spoke up after moments of silence. “It is getting dark and we must move into my grandfather’s old wing before you can’t see anything.”

“Gee, thanks,” Bulma muttered before smiling. Vegeta attempted to fight back his laughter and managed to succeed; however, Bulma knew she had gotten to her Saiyan lover. A victorious smirk graced her features before she finished throwing the last of her things into her bags. The two of them made their way to the opposite wing as the halls began to darken. As they walked down the corridors, Vegeta made a mental note that they would need to install something in the palace so that Bulma could navigate on her own in the dark.

* * *

Kakarot’s family was able to move in right away, though the rest of the third-class soldiers had some lose ends to tie up in their own homes. That gave the palace servants time to prepare the prince’s old wing for them. Vegeta felt more comfortable when his friend and rival’s family was safely inside. Here he could see that they were being well fed and in healthy living conditions unlike the slum his father placed them all in with only enough food to settle their hunger.

Plus, it was better for Bardock and Chi Chi to have access to the lab. They had gone there with Bulma earlier to see what they had as far as medical supplies. When the lower class soldiers came in, Vegeta was ordering each one of them to have a physical and be treated for any illness. The three needed to be prepared for that.

“I think we’re going to need some more doctors,” Bulma suggested as she started going through the list of names. “I mean, I’m good at diagnostic stuff, but I’m not licensed as a nurse or doctor to help with the physicals or anything.”

“She’s right,” Bardock agreed. “The two of us will not be enough to look at a couple hundred soldiers.”

“Who else can we get?” Chi Chi asked.

Bulma placed her hand under her chin before she thought of something. “Chi Chi, you said the guys helped you while nursing your mom, right?”

“Yeah?” Chi Chi replied, missing what Bulma was implying.

“Well, what if they help for the day?” she questioned. “You guys can tell them what to do and look for and then after things get worked out around here, we can start some actual searching for doctors, maybe even from the other planets if we can mend the treaties.”

“It looks like we don’t have much of a choice,” Bardock said while shaking his head at the list. “All these men and women and their families…what if we see another case like Gine?”

“Then they’ll stay here and be well taken care of,” Bulma responded. “It’s the least we can do for them. Plus, I think Gine would like that, for her memory to be honored and not mourned.”

Bardock hid his sad smile. Yes, Bulma was right about that. Even when she was dying, Gine ignored the sadness everyone felt, trying to get them not to mourn her. She was a great loss, but she also ignited the way for the former king’s defeat. Now they just needed to prevent it from happening again.

“Um, if it’s okay with you guys…” they heard a quiet voice say from the hall, “could I help?”

Surprise adorned all but Bulma’s face when the youngest prince entered the room. His tail was curled around his leg, as if he were even nervous to ask. Bulma was relieved to hear that Tarble wanted to help. Honestly, she believed the boy had a knack for both mechanical and medical science. It suited him better than being a fighter like the rest of them. Not that he wasn’t strong, but his mentality was geared more towards helping others than fighting them.

“Sure, Tarble,” Bulma told him. “You actually pick up on this stuff quickly, so I think it would be okay. Don’t you two agree?”

Bardock swallowed, thinking about it. He had never noticed the younger prince’s aptitude for science until recently. Before he had been sent off for his first mission, Bardock had tried to discuss, with the king, the idea of Tarble doing scientific work in the palace instead of being sent to other worlds to destroy. The king immediately shot down the idea, and not even days later, sentenced Tarble to his first mission. The spiky-haired Saiyan couldn’t even imagine how traumatized the young boy might be from his experiences, but his mind attempted to soothe his worried thoughts knowing that Vegeta was there to soften the burden on Tarble’s young mind.

“Bardock?” Chi Chi called softly when she saw her father-in-law’s dazed expression. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, Chi Chi,” Bardock replied a little too eagerly. “Yes, I think it’s a good idea to bring Prince Tarble into the lab. Your help will me much appreciated, I’m sure.”

Tarble’s face lit up when Bardock said that, his tail thrashing in his happiness and excitement. “Awesome!” he chimed. “I can’t wait!”

“He certainly has the enthusiasm we need to get through all of this,” Queen Kalina said as she entered the lab.

“Hey, mom!” Tarble exclaimed. She smiled when she saw his large smile.

“Hello, my son,” she greeted. “Has anyone seen Vegeta today?”

Bulma frowned when she thought about it. Vegeta had told her hours ago that he was going to find his mother to discuss things with her. From the sounds of it, he never did. The Earthling wished she shared the ability to sense ki. Finding her mate would be so much easier in that sense.

She tried to find him through the bond, but all she found was silence. He was blocking her out, and she didn’t know why. “Bardock, can you sense where he is?” she asked hopefully.

Bardock made the attempt and then nodded. “He’s in the desert on a mountain east from here.”

Bulma was out the door as soon as he told her.

* * *

He couldn’t get past his words, no matter how hard he tried.

_"You are my son, and you are just like me.”_

He had never remembered the dying words of his victims before, but these, he couldn’t forget. There was a sense of foreboding in those words, at least for him. No, he did not want dark energy. The thought of it disgusted him, yet the words kept ringing in his mind.

_“_ _You are just like me.”_

“No,” he whispered to himself. He refused to accept that. He had been through hell and back, and he knew there was no way he’d ever stoop as low as his father before him. He had too much to fight and live for than to bargain his life away for power. Besides, his Super Saiyan transformation that he worked hard for proved to be much more powerful than anything his father had. No, he refused to believe he was anything like his father.

“Vegeta!” he heard his mate’s voice call. His eyes widened in shock. He sensed no other ki with her, meaning somehow she had come here on her own. Turning around to face her, he saw her on some type of flying machine that, when she pressed a button, became a small capsule.

“Wh…how…woman, what the hell is that?” he asked, flabbergasted.

Bulma grinned over to him and shook her head. “Vegeta, I lived in a place called ‘Capsule Corp.’ This was mine and my father’s biggest invention, the capsule. You can store objects in them, anything really. One of the things you packed had a ton of them. That was just my capsule scooter.”

The look of shock on Vegeta’s face was a big ego booster for her, especially since this had been her father’s legacy. She had helped him improve on the design, but it was his second baby.

“I’m not even going to ask how you created those,” Vegeta murmured. He realized that he shouldn’t be surprised by anything Bulma told him anymore. Her inventions were nothing short of amazing. He had no doubt that she had been working on amazing things for the planet. Then he thought of something. “Would you be able to create more?”

“Of course,” Bulma replied with a smile, “with the right materials. I’m sure we’ll be able to get ahold of some once the treaties are re-established.” Then her face went pale. Vegeta quirked his brow questioningly, wondering why she looked so nervous. “V-Vegeta, you don’t do any business with a race called the Arcosians, do you?”

Vegeta looked at her like she had two heads. He had heard distant rumors about that race long ago, but Planet Vegeta had never associated with them. “No,” he answered honestly. “Why?”

“If I make these capsules and they ever come looking for them, you have to lie about me, and you can never let them have it, deal?”

Vegeta was taken aback by the panic in her voice. From the sounds of it, she had encountered this race before. It finally dawned on him, why she was acting this way. “They were the ones who attacked you,” he stated. Bulma only looked away from him and didn’t say anything. “Bulma, are they the ones that purged your planet before Kakarot and I got there?” he asked more forcefully.

Bulma simply nodded, refusing to make eye contact. “They…they wanted the capsule. I guess a humanoid soldier of theirs had come to Earth and learned of our technology. I don’t really know. That’s just a theory, because they came and they attacked. It was horrible, Vegeta.”

She took a deep breath before continuing. “With how big the planet was, it took them a while to kill everyone, but it took longer because we fought. We fought with every piece of technology we had, but then the leader…he showed up and got through our barricade. He had three of his soldiers with him. That was the first time I saw ki anything… They were just way too strong. One of his soldiers was the one who…who came after me.”

Vegeta clenched his fists, trying to hold back his rage. He was thankful that Bulma was giving him information, but he hated hearing about her attack. “They will not touch you again. If they ever show up here-”

“Please, don’t jump into a fight with them,” Bulma pleaded. “It would just make things worse. Just tell them you don’t know of me and the technology is not up for trade or sale. I can’t have my father’s invention going to that…that…thing.”

Vegeta glared out into the desert in front of them. Whoever these Arcosians were, they would always remain an enemy to him and the planet, especially because they would still be after their queen.

“I promise you, Bulma, that we will do no business with them,” Vegeta told her. “If they ever arrive here, I will make sure you are kept away from them and that they do not stay long. If they don’t know you are here, then they will most likely leave.”

“I hope so, Vegeta,” Bulma told him, “but I have to admit, they may not leave peacefully. At least…at least the Saiyans have a conscience, enough to know that everything that happened was wrong. When they attacked the people at CC, they were torturing them…for fun and some sick amusement. They actually played a game where the first to kill the majority of the workers and make them scream would be the winner…and I was the prize.”

 _Disgusting, low life, pieces of trash,_ Vegeta thought to himself. It reminded him so much of how his father behaved, and worst of all, it had happened to his mate. Whoever these Arcosians were, they too lacked honor, and Vegeta would never lower himself to having any business with them.

“Hey, let’s get back to the palace,” Bulma said with a smile. “I mean, we have a lot to do for tomorrow when the soldiers come to stay with us. Tarble is going to help with the physicals.”

Vegeta looked shocked for a moment before he smirked and nodded. “Yes, he seemed to be very good at taking care of our wounds while we were on that mission. That will be good for him.” He looked out into the desert once more before turning to Bulma. “Let’s go.”

“Yeah,” Bulma said with a small nod, her hair fluttering as she did so. Vegeta ignored the stirring feeling in his chest and moved to pick her up and fly back to the palace. Bulma was right. There was still much, much more to do before Vegeta could focus on any of this. His father’s mistakes would be corrected first, but then, it would be time to punish these so-called Arcosians for theirs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So, this first part of the story is starting to close. A couple more chapters before moving on to the next. So Bulma has finally told Vegeta about what happened to Earth and how he found her. Now their own kingdom needs to rise from the ashes, and there’s still a wedding/coronation to prepare for…and the twins :D


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters

Things were running as smoothly as they could, all things considered. The third-class soldiers were settled into the palace and undergoing physicals and treatment by the end of the week. Nappa had managed to find all of the old council members who had no objection to Vegeta making an alien his queen. They even went so far as to agree to make changes to the ceremony to fit Bulma’s culture. Mating was different for the Saiyans and, where there was a ceremony, it was more of an announcement and then a feast. For Bulma, she needed more, and Vegeta had no problems giving her the ceremony she desired.

A date had not been decided yet, but Vegeta hoped it would happen soon. There was so much he wanted to announce to his people. New changes would be implemented, some of the treaties were already restored, but most importantly, his beautiful mate would be their queen and soon two little heirs would be running around the palace.

Vegeta was proud of what was playing out in front of him. His father’s death only signified good things for him and the people, and they mostly came in the shape of his mate. She was organized when it came to the running of the physicals, brilliant in coming up with new systems, including the instillation of a water system on their desert world, and yet able to handle the pregnancy of twins with only minor exhaustion. At first everyone had been terrified about a weaker being carrying Saiyan children, especially Bardock because of Gine’s illness after giving birth to twins, but she was showing none of the symptoms that Gine had during the pregnancy. She rarely ever had the morning sickness that humans experienced, though she had warned Vegeta about the tendencies. She did experience some discomfort in her back, but taught the prince different ways to relax tensed muscles, including hot water baths and massages. Her methods may have been primitive to the technically advanced race, but they were welcomed just as she was.

“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” Raditz teased after finding Vegeta in a large hall being decorated. “I thought you hated PDAs.”

The prince rolled his eyes. “When it’s you and Turles dragging around women from a bar and shoving your tongue down their throats, yes, I have a problem.”

“You are no fun, princey,” the elder Saiyan teased. “But truthfully, this will be a ceremony to remember, so I guess I’m good with it. If it’s like my sister-in-law’s culture, you do have to kiss her in public.”

“Don’t you have someone else to bother?” Vegeta grumbled. Where he did see Kakarot’s family as his second family, he did see them as any normal Saiyan would. Raditz was the annoying, vulgar older brother that you just wanted to punch in the face every once in a while. Turles, annoying, but to a lesser degree than Raditz as he was more of a follower than a leader. Kakarot, he was the best friend you could never ask for, but just happened to receive because of a sibling-like rivalry. They grew up together because of their power, but were still family nonetheless.

“Nah, the twins are sparring and I’m not in the mood to bar crawl,” Raditz stated matter-of-factly.

“Lucky me,” Vegeta muttered before turning to take his leave from the hall. Raditz began to follow him. He was stopped by a glare. “Don’t follow me around like a lost dog, especially when I’m going to check on my mate.”

“Like I said,” the long-haired Saiyan replied with a laugh, “no fun.” Vegeta again rolled his eyes at the comment.

* * *

He found Bulma in the lab with Tarble, Kakarot, and Turles. Vegeta noted his nervous brother watching his irritated mate. Her hands were on her hips and both Kakarot and Turles looked incredibly beaten up.

“I cannot believe you two managed to beat each other up to the point where you both need senzus. What were you doing in there?” she scolded.

“Um, well,” Kakarot said with a laugh. “We tend to get carried away with training.”

Bulma smacked her forehead lightly and shook her head. “Tarble, just give them the senzu beans, but _you two_ better be more careful. I don’t need you messing up the GR. That’s Vegeta’s job.”

Vegeta smirked at what he took to be a compliment while the twin brother said a quick and quiet “Sorry Bulma” before Tarble handed them the beans.

“And what is going on in here?” Vegeta questioned as he entered.

“And that would be our cue to leave,” Turles said as he attempted to shove his twin out of the lab.

“Hi Vegeta, bye Vegeta,” Kakarot chimed with a wave as he passed his best friend. “See you later.”

“Hey big brother,” Tarble greeted with a smile, his nervousness from earlier gone.

Vegeta nodded to him before making his way to Bulma whose irritation was pouring off of her. The older prince pointed his head to the door, and his brother ran out, obliging to his wishes. Bulma relaxed when she felt Vegeta’s hands on her shoulders and his breath on her neck.

“Remind me to knock some sense into them for irritating their pregnant, future queen,” he murmured.

“Mm-hm,” Bulma managed to get out before Vegeta sat down on her chair, pulling her onto lap. “What’s going on? Kakarot said you were going to be gone all day. Not that I’m not happy to see you, but I’m curious.”

“Hmph,” Vegeta grunted with a slight laugh. “You will think me foolish.”

“Never,” Bulma replied, turning to face him. “I could never see you as foolish, Vegeta.”

Vegeta smiled slightly before gently stroking her leg. “I was going to spend the day seeing to the details of this ceremony and the banquet, but I was being harassed by Raditz and decided to come see you instead.”

Bulma laughed lightly and wrapped her arms around Vegeta’s neck. “I’m glad you decided to come see me,” she told him. “And you don’t need to worry about ceremony details or whatever. I’m just happy that I’m getting married…er, mated…whatever it’s called.”

The two of them stared at each other, staying silent as Vegeta slid his hand under her dress and continued to run his hand up her leg. He watched her for any signs of discomfort and didn’t see any until he was close to the top of her leg. Bulma didn’t mean to cringe, especially because she truly loved Vegeta and the way he made her feel. The prince removed his hand and instead stroked her hair. Ashamed, Bulma buried her face against his check, tears of embarrassment starting to form.

Vegeta felt her shake, forcing herself not to cry. “Bulma, it’s okay,” he assured her. He had expected her to react this way if he pushed too far. All he had wanted was to see where she was at, because he did not want her to find out later that she was afraid to sleep with her own husband. “I didn’t expect you to be over it yet.”

“But I should be,” she said in frustration. “I love you, and I want to be with you, completely and fully. I don’t know why I cringed…it shouldn’t happen.”

“We need to focus on getting you past everything, and I am not saying with what happened between us,” Vegeta explained. “I’ve seen and heard enough with how my father behaved. It’s not something you are going to get over right away. I was testing the waters so that no surprises came the night we are wed.”

“Doesn’t it bother you, thought?” she asked, still refusing to look him in the eye. “I’m a failure as a mate.”

“Don’t say that!” Vegeta snapped, shocking the woman in his lap. She looked at him questioningly before he continued. “You are an amazing mate. You’ve already done so much for me and my people. You are giving me heirs that will live a better life than my brother and me. That is all I need. The other stuff will come when you are ready.”

“But how long will that take?” Bulma whined. Despite the intensity of the topic at hand, Vegeta couldn’t help but mentally chuckle at Bulma’s behavior. He didn’t answer her, but instead pulled her to him and kissed her lips. He took her in his arms and placed his head on top of hers while telling her through the bond, _It doesn’t matter how long it takes, yuubutsu. We’ll get through it, together._

Bulma sighed and ran her hand through her hair. “Why do you always have to be right?” she muttered quietly.

Vegeta picked up on her words, with his hearing and her close proximity, and released a deep chuckle. She always found a way to amuse him, whether it was her innocence, attitude, or intelligence. “You should go take a break and eat,” he told her, changing the subject.

“I…” Bulma started before asking, “Will you come with me?”

The Saiyan prince wouldn’t have been able to say ‘no’ even if he tried. The hopeful shine glistening in Bulma’s eyes told him it was more than just a simple request. He knew Bulma treasured them, but recent developments in their relationship only a few days before their public ceremony left her feeling down on herself, and he refused to let her feel anything less than happiness.

“Of course, Bulma.”

* * *

Days passed and preparations had been made for the ceremony and banquet. Bulma had been so busy between working on new advances for the desert planet and getting adequate food and rest for the baby. There were times she would join her soon-to-be mother- and brother-in-law, although she would only see the latter when he wasn’t spending many hours with Chi Chi and Bardock learning about medicine. Things were surprisingly peaceful, and everyone was still getting used to it.

Her mother’s wedding dress was perfect and covered up her baby bump well. Tears formed in her eyes remembering everything her parents had told her about their marriage and wedding. She missed them dearly, but at least she didn’t have to do this without them. They were there in spirit, and she knew they would have approved of this union. Vegeta was everything her mother always wished for her, or at least everything she described in her many ramblings.

Looking at herself in a mirror, she did a half twirl. The dress was floor-length with intricate laced patterns twining around the dress like floral vines. It also had no sleeves, but straps holding the dress on her shoulders. She could see her tear stained face under the veil. She held the white, desert flower bouquet in her silky, gloved hands, as if she was posing for a picture.

A light knock on the door was heard, but Bulma made no move to open it. She wasn’t surprised when she heard the door creak open, but she was surprised to see the queen standing there. Queen Kalina smiled at her son’s mate and walked over to her and lifted the veil.

“You look beautiful, my child,” she cooed gently, “but tell me, why are you crying?”

Bulma quickly used her arm to wipe away her tears. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “Hormones, plus…I really miss them.”

“I didn’t know your parents, but I have to say you would have made them so proud, Bulma,” the queen assured her, placing her hands on her shoulders.

“Thank you,” Bulma replied, her voice wavering. If she didn’t get to the ceremony now, she was going to burst into more tears…if she didn’t cry there from happiness. She would rather cry from feeling happy than wallowing in the past. The queen was right; her parents would be proud of her. They would also want her to move on and be happy. “Um, we should go now. I don’t want to be late for my own wedding.”

Kalina smiled at the girl she already saw as her daughter. She understood her haste and then placed the veil over her head once more. “You’re right; we should go. You look absolutely beautiful.”

Bulma smiled under the veil and then looked back to the mirror. She really hoped that Vegeta had similar thoughts as his mother. She looked somewhat plain, in her opinion, despite the intricacies of the dress. Her long, blue hair was in a braid and she wore no makeup. That never seemed to be a problem for her before, and she could only assume she was simply nervous. Besides, it wasn’t like this was a giant press event like back on Earth. Yes, all the people would be present, but they were not expecting petty glamour. If that was a problem for them, most likely she wouldn’t have been accepted in the first place.

They were standing outside of the hall when Bulma froze, her two hands wrapped around her bouquet. This was it; Bulma Briefs of Earth was about to marry the prince of an alien planet before becoming their queen. Absolutely no pressure.

* * *

Vegeta was standing awkwardly on the raised platform, simply waiting. He stood proud and tall for appearances with his people but, on the inside, he too felt nervous. It wasn’t so much the pledging his life to Bulma that made him nervous as he had already done so, but he was publically going to announce his feelings in front of all his subjects, and then he was going to be crowned king with Bulma as his queen. It was a lot of change for him in just one day. The only one he had publically shown his feelings to was Bulma, so he was going to be taken out of his comfort zone. He also questioned himself as far as being king was concerned. There was so much to worry about, especially with other races. His subjects were loyal, he knew, so there would be no one who would betray this public display of affection to potential enemies. Still, he also had to worry about the race that attacked his mate…those blasted Arcosians.

And then the doors opened, and he saw Bulma standing there, with his mother, in a beautiful white dress. All doubtful or panicked thoughts left him when he saw her. Even with her face covered by this almost net-like material, he could see the vibrant color of her blue eyes. She was walking slowly down the aisle with their people now standing, but Vegeta only registered her. Suddenly, the ceremony and coronation didn’t feel like a big deal.

When Bulma was standing in front of him, he placed his hands on hers, both of them holding the bouquet. They gazed into each other’s eyes and almost didn’t hear one of the council members start the ceremony. Other than being lost in each other, the beginning of the ceremony was a long speech in the Saiyans’ native language which Bulma wouldn’t have been able to focus on anyway, and then they started the part of the ceremony everyone could understand.

“We are a strong race and we have endured many hardships head on,” he stated confidently. “And now our hardships have lessened thanks to our prince and princess. Today we shall be witness to their public union. We already know there is no objection.”

There were a few rounds of laughter, and Bulma blushed when Vegeta smirked at her. No, no one could object their mating even if they wanted to. It was permanently binding. Besides, everyone clearly accepted her if they were all sitting there.

“Now,” the councilman said to the two of them, “this would normally be the end; however, the prince has told us some of your traditions as well, including vows.”

“Oh right,” Bulma replied having zoned out for most of what had been said. She looked up at Vegeta through her veil. “I…I really haven’t thought of what to say. This whole year has been different than I could have ever imagined. I never even thought of what it would be like to be married, but then you came along. Vegeta, you rescued me, and I will do anything I can to be the best mate to thank you for all you’ve done for me.”

 _No thanks are require,_ he communicated to her, _and you already are the best mate._

Vegeta squeezed her gloved hands before taking one and placing a kiss on it. “Yuubutsu,” he started softly, “I had never been interested in anyone.” He nudged his head to his family and people. “Any of them could tell you that.” Bulma used her bouquet to cover her mouth as she and the other Saiyans chuckled at his remark. “I never wanted a mate,” he continued, now growing serious. “It was never something on my mind with _him_ around.” It grew incredibly quiet in the hall before he began speaking again. “I wouldn’t have gotten through any of it without you, and now, for the future, I won’t have to. I am your protector, and I will keep you and our children safe…no matter who the enemy is.”

Bulma nodded in understanding moving her hand along with Vegeta’s as he rested his on her cheek from the outside of her veil. The council member cleared his throat, making the couple look at him. “As per another Earthling tradition, there is the exchanging of rings as I understand it?”

“Yes,” Bulma agreed. “We decided to do something like that later.”

“Understood,” the Saiyan replied. “Well then, this ceremony is over and the prince and princess have announced their promises to one another. Now it is time for them to give their promises to the people.”

Vegeta uncovered Bulma’s face as he removed the veil. He chuckled at her confusion. _Woman, you’re about to be crowned. You can’t wear that._

 _Oh right,_ Bulma mentally deadpanned. _What is wrong with me today?_

_Nothing._

The two of them walked over to the thrones in the hall. Vegeta had been happy that they could remodel the rooms to have the two chairs side by side instead of the single in the middle of the room. When the councilman nodded to them, they both sat down as a few more older Saiyans Bulma hadn’t seen before began speaking to the people, again in the native language.

 _They are explaining to the people that the council is reinstated,_ Vegeta explained, _and that we will be working with them as much as they are with us._

 _Why wouldn’t they?_ Bulma questioned.

 _Saiyans were traditionalists, until my father took over,_ Vegeta said hesitantly. _Technically this union wouldn’t have been approved of in that past._

 _I don’t know how to respond to that one,_ Bulma admitted, her smiling when she heard Vegeta’s deep, mental chuckle ringing through her head.

Then the councilmen turned to face them, all with smirks on their faces and two standing with the crowns. Then one who Vegeta had recognized to be his grandfather’s advisor, Zorn, who was similar in age as his father, stood in front of him holding the crown.

“This crown is a symbol, but not of power,” he enunciated. “Being king is about working with your subjects, and I have every reason to believe you shall do so. Will you choose to protect and lead our people?”

“I will,” Vegeta replied without hesitation.

Zorn smirked and nodded, placing the crown on Vegeta’s head over a few of the spikes. Bulma forced herself not to laugh, and Vegeta could sense her amusement. _It’s symbolic, Bulma…I won’t be wearing this again._

 _Oh okay,_ she teased him. _Because it seriously looks funny._

 _Yeah, yeah,_ he mentally muttered while making sure not to roll his eyes.

Then Zorn took the other crown and walked in front of Bulma. “As his crown symbolizes protection and leadership, yours symbolizes devotion and collaboration. It is asking a lot, especially of someone who became one of us from hardening circumstances, but we have all seen a devotion to fight with us. You have already taken on the responsibilities of a queen. All that can be asked is will you choose to continue?”

Bulma cast Vegeta a sideways glance, seeing him nod at her. She grinned and then sealed the deal by saying, “I will.”

Zorn turned to the Saiyan people and held up his arms, which Vegeta responded to by gently tugging Bulma to stand. As they stood, so did the others.

“People of Planet Vegeta, our prince and princess have made promises to protect you. Will you do the same for them?” Many cheers rang out loudly in the enclosed room, cheers full of vigor, enthusiasm, and complete trust. It was overwhelming for both the human girl and Saiyan prince, having both gone through what they had. “Then let us hail King Vegeta and Queen Bulma!”

More jovial shouts resonated through the hall creating echoes. Bulma felt Vegeta’s hand enfold around hers, the two of them walking forward and awkwardly accepted the adoration. The two royals flashed each other nervous glances, both hoping the other would reassure their anxieties. A smile found its way onto Bulma’s face, Vegeta returning it with a half-smile before announcing to the crowd to retreat to the banquet chambers. There they would party for hours, eating, dancing, and conversing.

Afterwards, the night came, and Bulma and Vegeta bid his mother and brother a good night before they retreated to their room for the night. Bulma placed her veil and gloves on a table in the room, running her fingers through her hair. She felt Vegeta come up from behind her, simply placing his hands on her arms and stroking comforting circles and nuzzling his nose in her hair. There were no feelings of tense anxiety; Bulma simply stood there as he held her. Her head tilted back allowing him to kiss her, him pulling her into him gently as he guided her to the bed. The two of them said nothing as they got under the covers, although after Bulma drifted off, Vegeta gently pecked her forehead and whispered, “Goodnight, my yuubustsu,” before joining her in the realm of slumber.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters.
> 
> This is the last chapter of the first part of the story. There will be three parts to the story. Next chapter will start off with “Part II:” before the chapter number. It will not be a new story.

Bulma was hard at work in the lab. She had already implemented so many changes in the kingdom starting with actually locating a water source so that everyone could have plumbing, as well as a filtration and purification system to reuse the limited water supply. Some of the low-class homes had been rebuilt for some of the soldiers to move out of the palace, but there was still quite a lot of work to be done. Vegeta even allowed her to install lights in the palace that was run by energy from the tōgoku. When the new homes were rebuilt, the Saiyans had the choice to request these lights but most declined since they did not need them. The lights were a success, though. However, the new hotels they would be building to house alien allies when they visited would have them installed as well, just in case. It was a new era for Planet Vegeta, one that was more welcoming and open than it had been with the former king.

Even the medical technology was more advanced. No, there still weren’t any sonograms, but thanks to the people of Rescue Star and Bulma’s notes from Earth, they managed to recreate some of the painkillers for labor, but they were safer for the baby than the ones on Earth. This made Vegeta and Bardock feel so relieved regarding Bulma giving birth to twins. At least they knew that, with the new medicines and other technologies, she and the babies would be fine. There were other changes regarding medicine too, and Vegeta was happy that they had mended the alliance with Rescue Star.

More aliens from the other races visited even though the hotel was not finished and stayed at the palace for the time being. They couldn’t believe the changes that had been made. Vegeta worked more closely with the council than his father did, and the council was less combative and more lenient than it had been in earlier days. Even though the former king’s evil had taken a toll on their kingdom and other planets, now that he was gone the kingdom was stronger than ever.

Chi Chi and Kakarot had brought Gohan to Rescue Star to introduce him to his grandfather. His grandmother had passed away long before which upset Chi Chi so greatly. Now that things had changed, her father decided he would return to Vegeta with them. There would be no more lost time. Gohan also made a friend on the planet who took an instant liking to him, a girl named Videl. The young, hybrid Saiyan was like his father, though, and completely oblivious to the fact that he was being pursued, something his uncles would never let him forget and would tease him about for years to come.

Kalina was also finally recovering from the time with her mate. She no longer had to deal with him coming onto her when he was drunk or anything to that nature. It had taken a while for her to get over it, but now she felt completely safe. She was ready to take a mate, an actual mate who she knew would protect her and complete her. That mate would soon be Nappa. Vegeta and Tarble didn’t have any objections to it, though Vegeta felt it would be strange to have Nappa as a step-father. As long as his mother was happy, he didn’t care. Besides, he had always known something was going on there. Nappa was more protective of him than any of his other guards. Now he had a better idea as to why.

The people were recovering well, and the planet was once again prosperous, but there was still a long way to go. Bulma anticipated coming fully out of the crisis in three years. Her ideas of globalizing the planet as an intergalactic nation was well received, but that also meant they needed something to offer. Her inventions became one of their exports but, as Vegeta promised, only to their allies. Even the capsule technology she had shown him would eventually become an export. Right now, they didn’t have the resources to export anything, but that was accounted for in the three years Bulma had calculated.

* * *

“Didn’t anyone tell you that you should rest?”

Bulma looked up from her desk meeting her mate’s hardened eyes. She glared right back at him with equal force. “Didn’t anyone tell you not to hover?”

Vegeta sighed and moved around the desk. “Bulma, you’ve been doing enough. You were running around all day and you’re tired. I can sense that.”

“Damn bond,” Bulma muttered through gritted teeth. “So what if I’m tired? These things need to get done.”

“Bulma, you’re nine months pregnant and can barely even stand half the time,” Vegeta countered a little harshly. “You should be resting. You know it could be any day now.”

“All the more reason to finish up these plans,” Bulma retorted, returning to her work. Before she could even retaliate, Vegeta snatched the plans off her desk and threw them to the floor. “Hey! What the hell, Vegeta?”

“Bulma,” he said both softly and sincerely. She instantly shut her mouth and decided to listen to what he had to say. He only got like this when he was serious about something. “I don’t care about your deadlines. I don’t care if it takes one more year to get us back on track. I only care about you and our heirs. Running yourself ragged to meet this three year deadline of yours will not help any of us in the long run. Be done for the night and come to bed. When you have the babies and are healed, then we can worry about it together. Right now, come to bed.”

Bulma sighed in frustration, knowing Vegeta was right. “Alright,” she surrendered. “I’ll come to bed.”

Vegeta was pleased with her answer and moved to help her up, but as soon as she stood up, she flinched. “Bulma, what’s wrong?”

“I…I…” she stammered. “Vegeta, I think I just had a contraction.”

“A what?” he questioned, still not completely familiar with her language.

“It means the babies are coming,” she explained quickly. Vegeta’s eyes widened, and before she could say or do anything, he had her cradled in his arms and was flying her to the newly renovated infirmary as fast as he could without causing her harm.

* * *

He was thankful that Bardock and Chi Chi now lived with them. They had still been in the infirmary doing some paperwork (another new idea brought up by Bulma) when he had gotten Bulma there. “She’s in labor,” was all he had to say for the two medics to prepare everything.

Vegeta lied her down on a bed trying to make her as comfortable as he could. Chi Chi started asking her questions and Bulma told her how she had just contraction. Thankfully Chi Chi understood what she was talking about while Vegeta stood across from them. He was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed and one foot propping him up against it. All he was hoping for was a smooth delivery for Bulma.

“Alright, sweetie,” Chi Chi cooed. “You still have a while before the first one is ready to come, so just try to relax and we’ll start giving you small doses of the painkillers.”

“Thanks Chi,” Bulma said with a sigh of relief before leaning back. She couldn’t believe that in minutes to hours, she was going to be a mother. Part of her was ready, but the other part still felt like she was a failure of a mate and that she would be a failure of a mother too.

 _Stop thinking those things,_ Vegeta ordered in her mind. Sometimes she forgot about the bond, and then he would accost her for thinking anything less of herself. _You’re going to be a wonderful mother. If we’re worrying about anyone’s competency as a parent, that would be me._

 _Not true,_ Bulma argued while cringing to the slightly pain. _You know how you are with your brother, and even Gohan. You’re going to be a great father._

 _Then there should be no questioning your skills as a mother,_ he countered before becoming quiet again. Sometimes she got more out of him in their silent conversations than their spoken ones.

* * *

A little while later, Kalina and Tarble had shown up with Nappa and the rest of Kakarot’s family. “What are you all doing here?” Vegeta asked out of surprise.

“We sensed your energy here,” Kakarot stated. “So Bulma is going to have the babies now, huh?”

“I can’t believe I’m going to be a grandmother,” Kalina said happily. “Although, now I’m going to feel old.”

“Don’t start,” Vegeta muttered slightly causing his mother to laugh. “You are far from old.”

“Why thank you, son,” she replied with a smile.

“So how long before the babies get here?” Tarble questioned.

Bulma smiled at the little boy and said, “Not for a while. Chi Chi said they still aren’t ready.”

“I know how they feel,” Raditz said suggestively. He received a smack in the head from both his father and Vegeta. “Hey, what was that for?”

“Show some respect/decency!” both Bardock and Vegeta shouted at the same time.

“Jeez, it was just a joke,” Raditz murmured. “Our queen didn’t feel insulted, did she?”

Bulma laughed and shook her head. “Doesn’t matter,” Bulma responded. “I agree with my mate.”

“See,” Vegeta countered proudly. “Now seriously, what are you all doing in here? We shouldn’t crowd her.”

“Vegeta, I’m not a bunny you guys are trying to hunt,” Bulma joked. “I don’t mind them being here.”

“Still,” Bardock stated, “there are too many people in here. We’re going to restrict it to family only for now. The others can come in once the babies are born.”

“Aw, fine,” Kakarot whined. “We’ll be outside if you need us.”

Nappa kissed Kalina’s hand and said, “What he said.”

“Where do you think you’re going?” Vegeta asked the bald Saiyan.

Nappa looked at him curiously. “Bardock said family only.”

“Again I ask…” Vegeta countered. “You are as much a part of our family as anyone in this room. I didn’t object to what Bardock said only because there were too many people and I was two seconds away from knocking one of them out.”

Nappa chuckled and then closed the door. “I get it,” he replied. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

* * *

Time was passing and the twins still weren’t ready to come. The drugs were starting to wear off and Bulma was feeling discomfort. Vegeta was by her side, holding her hand and attempting to comfort her when she clutched it in pain.

“You’re doing great, Bulma,” Bardock assured her. “It’s time to push. The first baby is ready.”

“Finally,” Bulma said in relief as she started using her strength to push.

Vegeta hated hearing her scream in agony, and he hated the fact that he caused this as well. He didn’t like the idea that he caused her any kind of pain. He knew that thinking this way now was pointless because every woman had to go through this to bear children, but her loud moans nearly tore his heart from his chest.

And then the moaning stopped and Bulma was breathing heavily. Vegeta looked to the little child in Bardock’s arms before he handed it off to Chi Chi. “It’s a boy,” he told them. But Vegeta already knew. The kid had hair like he did so it was obvious. He could see the joy on Bulma’s face before she grimaced again. “And the other one is rushing right along.”

“Let me guess,” Bulma said with a strained voice. “They took forever probably fighting over who got out first, and now they don’t want to give me time to rest.”

Chuckles were heard around the room and then Vegeta said, “Probably. They’re related to me after all.”

“So we have sibling rivalry to look forward to,” Bulma responded before letting out a gasp of pain.

“Alright, Bulma,” Bardock stated. “You can do this.”

Bulma pushed as instructed, biting back a scream as she did. The second child was more difficult to birth than the other, but she managed through the pain. As per the new delivery protocol, she was given a senzu bean for rapid recovery and was mandated to stay in the infirmary overnight.

“Congratulations you two,” Chi Chi chimed happily. “You have two completely healthy baby boys.”

“Can I see them?” Bulma asked. She knew she didn’t need to worry, but she just needed to see them.

“Of course,” Bardock responded. Carefully, the doctor took the baby boy, who one would easily be able to tell he was Vegeta’s son. The boy had jet black hair with a subtle, dark blue shine. It was spiked, already forming the characteristic flame. The striking difference between father and son was the little one’s dark blue eyes. Bardock wrapped the boy in a blanket and handed him to Bulma.

Bulma started crying and laughing after he placed her son in her arms. “You’re going to take after you daddy, aren’t you?” she cooed between her tears. It was silly to cry, but between the hormones and exhaustion, she was a mess.

While Bulma was holding the one twin, Bardock wrapped the other boy up in a blanket and brought him over to Vegeta. “Here, your majesty,” he said respectfully handing over the little prince. The child looked less like a Saiyan and a lot more like an Earthling. He had his mother’s crystal blue eyes and almost a full head of lavender-colored hair. Vegeta couldn’t believe that his father’s vile challenge could have created two little beings that were so pure. He cradled his son and then moved closer to Bulma so they could hold both their boys together.

“We’ll leave you alone for a moment,” Bardock said, him and Chi Chi leaving the room. Bulma and Vegeta didn’t hear him, only registering their children.

“They’re so tiny,” Tarble said in awe, getting closer to them. Vegeta smirked when he saw his little brother take the hand of his lookalike.

“What are you going to name them?” Kalina asked. Vegeta shrugged as he looked between both of them. He didn’t care what they’d be named. He was just happy they were in his and his mate’s arms.

“I think we should name this little one Vegeta,” Bulma stated. “He looks just like you.”

“No,” Vegeta said curtly. He didn’t look up to see the questioning glances of his other family members. “That name is dying with me.”

“Are you sure, son?” Kalina asked cautiously, not wanting to upset him.

“Mother you know me,” he stated. “I never say things that I am unsure of. Neither of these children will carry the name Vegeta.”

“Vegeta,” Bulma sighed. “It’s not just his name. It’s your name too, and the planet’s name. Shouldn’t one of them carry the name?”

Vegeta glared at her, though his glare held no force. “I would like to speak to Bulma alone,” Vegeta stated. Bulma blinked at him as his mother guided Nappa and Tarble out. She knew this was something her son needed to work out with his mate.

When the two were alone, Vegeta took the lavender-haired child and placed him in the cradle. Then he went to take his other son from Bulma. She was reluctant to let him go, but she and Vegeta needed to have a serious conversation regarding their names. “I do not want them to have my name,” he said. “I never wanted my name.”

“Vegeta, again I say, he doesn’t matter anymore,” Bulma attempt to assure him. “Besides, when they grow older, don’t you think one of them would wonder why they aren’t named after you?”

“It doesn’t matter, Bulma,” Vegeta said raising his voice slightly. “Just respect my wishes on this. Name them whatever you’d like, but do not name them after me.”

Bulma was expecting Vegeta to storm out, but he surprised her by returning to her side and raising her chin to kiss her lips. She closed her eyes and savored the way his lips lingered on hers. He pressed his forehead to hers. “Get some rest, yuubutsu. I will return for you and the boys when Bardock sends for me. You should only be in here until morning for observation.”

“Good night, Vegeta,” Bulma said softly. He pulled away from her and gave the boys another look before leaving the room to return to theirs. He didn’t like the idea of being away from Bulma for the night, but he refused to go against the new protocols that were suggested for her safety. He would rather be without her for one night if it meant she would be around for a long time.

Bulma, now alone with the boys, got out of bed and walked over to them. The senzu bean really did make her feel healthy enough to do so. “Your father is so stubborn,” she told them. “I really think at least one of you should have his name, at least somewhere.”

She looked over to Bardock’s paperwork and saw the documentation for their names. She had seen other “birth certificates” of Saiyans before. They always held one name, unlike those of Earth. Taking the pen, she filled in the spots for the names. “I think I figured out a way for both of you to carry the name without actually naming you Vegeta.”

She wrote in eloquent print on both certificates. The one for the younger boy read _“Trunks Vegeta Briefs”_ while the other read _“Goku Vegeta Briefs.”_ Now they would hold the name and Vegeta would never know, and the wishes of both of her parents were fulfilled. Thankfully she didn’t have to choose one name over the other. With one final yawn, Bulma decided to join her boys in slumber. She needed the rest after expending so much energy. All she could dream about that night was the future she would have with her mate and children. It would definitely be an adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Who thought I was gonna leave Videl out of the story, huh? Besides, if I have her in, I can use Hercule for comic relief later XD I’ve been planning on adding Videl in at some point, so yay, goal one accomplished :3 So now the twins are born :D I’ve been dying to bring them in because I have a lot of cute stuff planned for when they’re children XD Anyways, I hope you enjoyed!


	21. Part II: Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t DBZ or the characters
> 
> Well, here we go now, into part two. I’ve been dying to get here for a while, and now we’ve made it :D

Years had gone by before the kingdom of Planet Vegeta was stable. It took about a year to get all the supplies they needed to fix the homes of the other Saiyans. Now, their people could finally sustain themselves. Bulma had created a water purification system using the ground water they had and convinced her husband to for a treaty with an aquatic planet. They traded protection for more drinkable and usable water that the desert planet lacked. Over the years, Vegeta had managed to repair the damage his father caused as well as create treaties with planets he had never known of. The tōgoku that had been used against the people was now running everything they needed power for by utilizing energy from the planet’s suns. Planet Vegeta was back to its former glory, and its rulers were able to rest easy after about four years into their rule.

During that time, Bulma spent her time trying to balance technology, defense, mothering her children, and supporting her mate. She had been more than wiped out until she found a rhythm. Vegeta had been worried about her since the woman required a lot more rest than she was getting, but he made sure to help her as much as possible, especially with their boys.

Vegeta never remembered his father in his early childhood. His mother had always been the one to nurture him while his father stayed away until he was old enough to train. Then he nearly forced his mother out of his life, though the stubborn woman would not yield. The young king did not wish for either of his boys to grow up like that and co-parented with Bulma. When he could, he was there feeding them and making sure they were dry and comfortable. His father would have said it made him weak, but Vegeta felt like bonding time with the twins and his mate was what he needed after suffering for so long.

It was a peaceful seven years for Planet Vegeta, and its inhabitants were living in state-of-the-art homes. Children, even the princes, trained in the square with the adults overseeing their training. Kakarot was acting as the head trainer on training days. On days where the children did not train in the square, Kakarot was in the palace acting as Vegeta’s second in command. With Kakarot as his second and Nappa as his general, Vegeta knew that their planet, families, and people would always be safe. Nothing could interfere with the peace they created.

* * *

“Vegeta, slow down!” Little Trunks called after his older brother. His lavender hair was starting to grow over again and it was harder to chase after his brother when it got in his eyes. The child kept pushing the locks of hairs from his face. He would need to get his mom to cut it before his sparring session with his brother and father, later.

Meanwhile, the older twin, who preferred to be called Vegeta, was laughing as he ran through the palace gardens. He had started this race today, knowing his brother would be at a disadvantage. It was easy to torment his younger brother when he chose to study for a day. While his father was in meetings and his mother was in the lab, he would take and hide whatever book Trunks was reading and tell his brother he’d have to catch him to get a location. Since Trunks loved to study, he would give into his brother.

Little Vegeta threw his head back, laughing at the exhilarating feeling that came when he and his brother competed. Whether it was for fun or actual competition, the two had a fairly healthy sibling rivalry. Ultimately, though, the firstborn wanted to rule and the younger twin wanted to follow in their mother’s footsteps. There would be no competition for the crown when the time came.

“No, brother!” Vegeta called back. “Speed up!”

Trunks rolled his eyes, but smirked and did as was asked of him. Ignoring the hair in his eyes, he charged at his older brother and started to catch up with him. The two of them were about to run into the palace when the Vegeta lookalike crashed directly into his father. Trunks halted in his sprint when he saw his father standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. He was looking down at his brother with a frown.

“Goku, again?” he asked. Little Vegeta frowned when his father used his first name. He had always asked his mother why his father didn’t call him Vegeta, but always called him by his first name, and she just told him not to worry about it and to go along with it when his father was around.

When his son pouted and didn’t respond, Vegeta sighed and shook his head before taking the textbook out of his cloak. He motioned for Trunks to take the book, and Trunks walked over to his brother and father to take it back.

“Our room,” Vegeta told the young boy. That was where Goku had been hiding the books he took from Trunks. “The rest were returned to your room. Goku, let your brother study.”

With that, Vegeta walked away from his two boys to return to the throne room. There was one more meeting he had for the day before he could enjoy time with his family. He was not looking forward to it when he heard who the visitor was.

Little Vegeta pouted and crossed his arms, mimicking his father’s stance. “Why can’t he call me Vegeta like you, mom, and Uncle Tarble? Does he not want me to have his name or something?”

“I don’t think that’s it,” Trunks said. “I’ve heard mom talking to Uncle Tarble about it. I don’t think dad knows it’s your name.”

Truth was that Trunks had eavesdropped on many conversations between his mother and Bardock, his grandmother, and his uncle. They all knew about the names, but their father didn’t. For some reason the little prince did not understand, Vegeta did not want either of them to have his name, yet their mother had made his name their “middles names,” whatever that was.

“Still,” Vegeta muttered. “I just wish I knew why he didn’t call me that.”

Trunks didn’t want to tell him. He knew that his mother would have to deal with their father when he found out. The young boy was protective of his mother, so he’d keep what he heard quiet for now. Changing the subject, he said, “I’m going to go back to studying. You’re welcome to join me.”

“Hmph,” his brother scoffed. “No thanks. It’s boring. I’ll catch you later.” And with that, the other prince flew off over the palace walls. Trunks knew he wouldn’t be back until much, _much_ later.

* * *

Vegeta was walking swiftly to his throne room with Bardock following close beside him. “But sir, how do you expect me to keep her busy?” he asked with concern. “You know that she’ll be heading to the throne room. She knows of the meeting.”

“Keep her out of there,” Vegeta mandated adamantly. “If he finds out she is here, she will be in grave danger.”

“Why are you even meeting with him?” Bardock pressed. “This is not wise.”

Vegeta just shook his head. “It is wise,” he assured him. “We need to make him think there is nothing to hide.”

* * *

“Alright, well I need to get to the throne room now,” Bulma said dusting her dress off. Despite the fact that she worked around oil and dirt didn’t mean she couldn’t look presentable.

Tarble hesitated when Bulma said this. He knew that his brother was concerned about his next meeting, but he didn’t know why. “Bulma, wait,” Tarble said. “Vegeta can handle it, but you’ve been working without food the majority of the day. Come get something to eat with me. You can go after.”

“Oh Tarble, I had a little to eat this morning,” she told him. “I don’t need to constantly eat like you Saiyans. It’s not like I’m pregnant again.”

Now, in the past, she would have been offended by comments like that since she was hesitant to be in a physical relationship; however, over the years, she managed to get over her fears. With how much she and Vegeta were together, she was actually surprised she wasn’t pregnant again. Bulma couldn’t imagine a time where she was afraid of Vegeta’s touch or closeness. All of the past seemed like nothing but a distant memory to her. Vegeta was the one who continued to dwell on the past, though it never seemed to affect their relationship anymore.

“Bulma, please just go with me,” Tarble pleaded.

Bulma didn’t understand why Tarble was acting the way he was. The eighteen year old was normally pretty calm. The last time he acted like this was back when his father was still alive and a few years after. “Tarble, this is something I need to do,” she told him. “It’s my duty to be there for my mate.”

Before the conversation could continue, Bardock entered and was slightly out of breath. “My queen, the king needs you to take care of something right away.”

“What is it?” Bulma asked shocked that Vegeta would ask her to do something on a day he was having an audience with an off planet visitor. “You know what, I’m just going to go ask him. I’m sure it can wait until after the meeting.”

“Wait, Bulma!” Bardock exclaimed with slight panic. Now Bulma knew; something was up.

Bulma huffed and put her hands on her hips. “Okay, what is going today?” she asked. “Why is everyone trying to keep me away from that meeting?”

Bardock couldn’t tell her, because he knew she’d go anyway, but if he stayed silent she would still go anyway. Either way, she’d find out and go directly to the throne room. When no one spoke, Bulma shook her head and left the lab. After she was gone, Tarble walked over to Bardock. He didn’t know Vegeta’s reasoning, and now he needed to know.

“Why was my brother trying to keep her here?” he asked.

Bardock heaved a heavy sigh. “Because Tarble,” he started, “he’s meeting with Frieza.”

* * *

Vegeta was not happy with this. Frieza had contacted their planet a few weeks prior to this day. Once capsulation technology was out there, the tyrant had heard and Vegeta knew he suspected its origin. The king had lied to Frieza telling him that he had never been to Earth before when he asked the seemingly random question. He was trying to hide his mate while making it look like the planet had come up with the technology separately. Frieza wanted to make a deal with him but, as he promised Bulma, he would not cave.

“You have a wonderful palace here, Vegeta,” the tyrant said with a sickeningly effeminate voice that grated on Vegeta’s eardrums.

“That is _King_ Vegeta to you, Frieza,” Vegeta replied. They were on his planet now, and not the other way around. He was not going to let this lizard disrespect him in his own palace. “And it is.”

“So, when did your scientists first come up with capsulation?” Frieza asked in curiosity though Vegeta knew he was trying to determine if it had been since his purge of Earth. “I know it only went on the universal market a few years ago.”

Vegeta shrugged. “Not too long ago,” Vegeta lied. “We marketed it as soon as we learned of its nature. Our scientists were very optimistic.”

“As they should be,” Frieza replied smoothly. “I hear that your scientists are headed by your wife. Is that so?”

Vegeta hadn’t been expecting that question, but he should have. When capsulation went on the market with their allies, Vegeta made them swear to keep her name a secret. He couldn’t control the information that civilians talked about in the square. If any of Frieza’s men visited their ally planets, then they would at least know something regarding his mate.

“Yes, my mate is the head scientist here,” he answered calmly.

Frieza chuckled darkly. “I must ask where you picked up such a brilliant woman,” he badgered. “Are you sure she was not of Earth?”

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at him. He was just about to answer Frieza with an insult veiled threat when the doors to the throne room flew open revealing his angry mate.

“Vegeta, why-” she started to ask before freezing when she saw Vegeta sitting in the throne room with the destroyer of her world.

Frieza noticed Vegeta’s stunned and panicked expression and decided to turn around. He smirked sadistically when he saw the girl he had suspected standing right in front of him. “Well,” he said to her, “you are a sight for sore eyes, Miss Briefs. And here I had your husband telling me that his wife was not of Earth. Keeping secrets, perhaps?”

Bulma looked over to Vegeta with fear and question in her eyes. _I wasn’t planning on making a deal with him,_ Vegeta quickly alerted her through the bond. _He contacted the planet a few weeks ago and asked for an audience._

 _You were trying to hide me,_ she replied knowingly. _What do we do?_

“Bulma,” he said out loud calling Frieza’s attention to him. “This is Frieza. He requested an audience with me.”

“Oh, I assure you,” Frieza said jovially, “we have already met. You know, my dear, my second was very worried as to where his prize had gone. Do tell me, how did you get off the planet?”

“Frieza,” Vegeta growled darkly, “I should not have to tell you to show my queen respect on our planet and in my presence. Refrain from making such rude remarks. As for you,” he said to Bulma, “your son needs a talking to.”

Bulma realized that Vegeta was trying to get her out of there while appearing indifferent to the situation, and she desperately wanted to take the out. “Which one?”

“Goku,” Vegeta replied.

Bulma nodded to him. “I will deal with him.”

When Bulma left, Frieza grinned over to Vegeta. “So I take it you know some things about me,” he said. “Or did she keep the destruction of her planet from you?”

“I don’t know all of what happened,” he lied. “I just know that when I met her, she was traumatized but brilliant, and I desired that for the kingdom. Her past and planet never interested me. We have not discussed it.”

“Then why did you look so panicked when she entered?” Frieza pressed. He seemed too amused by the situation for Vegeta’s liking.

Vegeta remained calm and said, “Wouldn’t you be slightly worried for your mate if there was the look in terror in her eyes? I am not too closed off to her that her fear means nothing. Whatever happened to her planet is none of my business; however, in light of this revelation, I do not wish to do business with you or your planet. I hope you can understand this, but the mental health of my queen takes precedence over a business deal.”

“I do understand,” Frieza replied in a still amused tone, “but I have a proposition for you that could be beneficial to both of our kingdoms.”

“Go on?” Vegeta responded, permitting him to speak though he wanted this meeting to be over. Still, if he wanted to appear indifferent to Bulma for this tyrant’s benefit, he needed to play along.

“I suggest you hold a tournament,” Frieza suggested, “to signify a new era. Planet Vegeta has come back from a terrible point and, where I don’t know the details, I’m sure this would boost the morale of not only your men, but mine and many other planets. You could welcome competitors from all planets, and my men would jump at the chance to enter as well, and give a prize to the victor at the end.”

Vegeta knew that Frieza was challenging him, and the Saiyan could not argue that competition would be a welcome celebration; however, he did not like the way Frieza said the word ‘prize’ or the aspect of him participating.

“If the ‘prize’ in question is anything like what you implied to my mate, then no. She is off limits,” he stated. “And where I did not know you were the destroyer of her home world, I know your reputation. Your participation in the tournament would be denied.”

“Oh of course,” Frieza replied waving his hands at Vegeta as if he were teasing. “I never had any intention of participating. I feel us royals should stay out of the tournament, you included _King_ Vegeta.”

Vegeta nodded. He felt better about that. He’d rather be beside Bulma anyway if this tournament was going to happen. “I can agree to this,” Vegeta told him. “We will be spectators. If this event is to happen, you agree that my mate is off limits?”

“Yes, I believe I can agree to that,” Frieza answered. “And ‘if?’”

“But of course, Frieza,” Vegeta said, his voice becoming amused at Frieza’s glare. “I’m sure you understand that a lot of planning goes into a tournament. I also do respect my mate’s opinion and do not wish to blindside her. The people would not react well if they ever saw their queen in distress, and our sons are quite attached to her and strong for their age. They will, as I will, protect the queen at all costs.”

“I understand,” Frieza remarked, though now he seemed irritated. “I forgot how much Saiyans could be dedicated to their ‘mates.’”

This took Vegeta by surprise. He looked questioningly at the Arcosian tyrant. “Explain,” he demanded. “I have never heard of any business with you in the past.”

“Oh, you haven’t, have you?” Frieza questioned, his voice regaining his previous mirth. “I do suppose it has been a long time since I visited this planet. Well, King Vegeta, I will tell you. Back when your grandfather was in power, I attempted to make a deal with him. This was before the decline of the kingdom, of course, but at the time he had denied my request to do business. His wife was not pleased with me; I am unsure as to why. Your grandfather chose not to do business with me.”

“And you did not attempt to arrange a tournament as you are with me,” Vegeta remarked. “What counter did you have for him?”

“There was no counter,” Frieza whispered sinisterly. “His ‘mate’ just met with an untimely accident. It was such a shame, but very lucky that he hadn’t fully ‘bonded’ with her or whatever you Saiyans say, or the planet could have been without a strong ruler. Where would the people have been then?”

Vegeta sensed a threat, a heavily veiled threat but a threat nonetheless. There was no way for Frieza to know that he and Bulma were fully bonded. He had acted indifferent enough to his mate to make it appear that they weren’t completely connected. Hearing Frieza blatantly admit to killing his grandmother, though he never knew her, angered him. Still, he kept his anger in check, slightly clutching his throne. “Yes, that is a shame. Anyways, back to business. I will discuss the potential tournament with my mate. You will have your answer by the end of the week.”

Frieza grinned maliciously at him, though tried to cover it up with an upbeat tinged voice. “Oh, how marvelous. I will await the call. We shall see how it all plays out.”

Vegeta nodded and called for Nappa. When Nappa entered the throne room, Vegeta calmly said, “General Nappa, escort our guest back to his ship.”

“Yes, your majesty,” Nappa said with a bow.

After the two left the throne room, Vegeta let out a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. He could feel Bulma panicking through the bond, even though she was giving Goku a small scolding for stealing his brother’s books. He needed to discuss this with her and prepare her for the possibility that Frieza might return. He wasn’t worried about the planet or the people. They would be able to handle whatever Frieza threw at them. He was more concerned with how his mate would handle it if Frieza returned in the future without warning if they did not go along with his tournament idea.

“Son, I must speak with you for a moment,” Kalina said entering the throne room from the back.

Vegeta sighed when he heard his mother’s concerned voice. He would have to put his discussion with Bulma on hold.

* * *

Bulma had tucked both of her boys in that night, holding them a little longer than normal. Little Vegeta didn’t understand why his mother was acting so strange, but shrugged it off. Trunks, on the other hand, tried to ask his mother what was bothering her. He could tell she lied when she told him nothing was wrong. It made him feel uneasy, but he trusted both his mother and father to handle whatever it was that was upsetting her.

She returned to hers and Vegeta’s room on the other side of the palace. Vegeta had chosen to place their boys so far from them so they didn’t have to grow up hearing what went on behind closed doors as he had, though it was in different context. When he brought this up to Bulma, she remembered blushing profusely at the thought of anyone in the palace hearing them. Vegeta just laughed her concerns off assuring her that no one was in earshot of their room.

Vegeta returned to their room after discussing things with his mother, Nappa, Kakarot, and Bardock. His mother and Nappa had known who Frieza was before learning he was the one who had destroyed Bulma’s life. They were not happy to hear that his actions had already affected the girl. Bardock remembered him too. Frieza was the one responsible for the death of most of his team save Gine. Bardock was thankful that Gine had just given birth around the time he and his men had a purging mission.

Vegeta learned that day that Bardock’s psychic abilities came from the planet where he met Frieza’s men. His team had gone to purge the planet, but when they learned they weren’t alone they turned their attention towards Frieza’s men. Frieza’s men had been arrogant and told Bardock and his men just who they were. After wiping out Bardock’s team, Bardock tore into each and every one of them, though the team leader had gotten away. The inhabitants of the planet decided to award Bardock their abilities to help give him warning against potential dangers and successes. It was then, almost three decades before, when Bardock returned to Planet Vegeta and decided to work the medical ward instead of continuing to purge.

Kakarot had never known about Frieza. He only knew of some of the horrors Bulma had seen. If Frieza was responsible for her pain, then he was an enemy. He wasn’t entirely sure about the tournament, but he assured Vegeta that he would continue to train the other Saiyans and the children to handle anything. Vegeta was grateful to him for that.

He found Bulma lying on her side, stiff as a board. He knew she was awake and probably terrified about what had happened earlier. Bulma felt Vegeta get into the bed, lying down next to her, pausing until she relaxed enough for him to take her in his arms. Vegeta knew Bulma would never be one hundred percent recovered from her experiences, but he worked with her instead of against her. He made sure never to sneak up from behind and to always let her make the first move unless she was completely at ease.

“So Goku has been stealing from Trunks,” she said awkwardly with a strained voice. “He shouldn’t be doing it again, but we’ll have to watch. He’s a troublemaker just like his father.”

“Mm,” Vegeta grunted fondly. He loved his boys very much and was as protective of them as he was their mother. “About today…” he said getting out of his reverie. “There is much we must discuss.”

“I didn’t mean to ignore the others,” she said. “I was just put off by the fact that you didn’t want my help. Why didn’t you warn me? I would have taken the boys out into the square to play with the other Saiyan children. I would have stayed away; I swear.”

“I know,” Vegeta told her. “But you would have been worried. It would have made me appear worried. That lizard already suspects that I have a deep connection to you. I had to work very hard to seem indifferent.”

“I know. I saw.”

“You are not offended?” he questioned. Where he cared about her physical safety, he also worried about her emotional state as well.

“I didn’t like it,” she told him, “but I understood. If he had suspected how much you knew, how closely tied we are to each other, he would have used it against you right then and there. I don’t trust him.”

“Neither do I,” Vegeta assured her. He wasn’t going to tell her about the threats. There was no reason to worry her more than he already had to regarding the tournament. “He made a proposition.”

Bulma tensed again, though Vegeta tried to relax her by rubbing her side which only worked slightly. “Which is?”

“He knows that I respect you enough not to do business with the destroyer of your world,” he explained. “He, however, posed the idea of a universal tournament held here to celebrate our rebirth as a unified planet. The victor of the tournament shall be given a prize. I already made it clear that you are off the table. He and I will not take part in the tournament. If we do this, I will be at your side at all times. When I cannot be, you will be accompanied by either my mother, Nappa, Kakarot, or Bardock. Kakarot is planning on entering the tournament. If we do not agree within the week Frieza will be back without warning. At least this way, we eliminate the element of surprise while showing him that we Saiyans are not a force to be trifled with. I did tell him I needed to discuss the planning of the tournament with you.”

Bulma hesitated, especially when she asked, “The boys will want to enter, won’t they?” Vegeta nodded against her. “I…I don’t want them to get hurt.”

Vegeta turned her in his arms so that she was facing him. He was smirking down at her and kissed her lips. “They are too strong to let this creep’s soldiers harm them. But, if it eases your mind, we will create rules to hinder too much harm. I would prefer to have a clean tournament. We shall discuss the specifics tomorrow. For now, rest easy. I am here, and I will not let you handle any of this alone. Understood?”

Bulma nodded, ignoring the tears that started to glisten in her eyes. She kissed her mate passionately as he pulled her closer to him. Now that Bulma was feeling less anxiety, they decided to take advantage of the last fully peaceful night they felt they’d have before the chaos regarding the Arcosians and the tournament would bring. They didn’t know when they’d have peace like this again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So there you have it, chapter one or part two. As you can already gather, there will be a lot more action and a lot of planning on my part, so it will be a pretty slow paced update schedule.


	22. Part II: Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

" _Bulma, run!" her father shouted to her as the aliens broke through their defense system. Bulma was hesitant to run for she didn't want to leave either of her parents behind. Before her father could repeat himself, four aliens had entered their home._

" _Nice place," a purple alien jeered._

" _Bulma, for the last time, GO!"_

_She had reined in her shock and attempted to leave the room, heading to her own up the stairs, but a humanoid alien with light blue skin and green hair prevented her from doing so, pinning her down to the ground. "What's the rush, Bul-ma?" he asked while enunciating her name. "We wouldn't want a pretty little thing like you to get hurt." He drew his mouth closed to her ear and whispered, "Would we?" Bulma shivered in disgust wanting so much to be able to fight him off of her, but he had her entire body pinned to the floor. It was obvious the alien had done something like this before, which only served to make Bulma fear their intruders more._

" _Now, now, Zarbon," a raspy voice spoke from the alien in a floating chair. "Business first, pleasure later."_

" _Please," her father pleaded, "whoever you are, let my daughter go. I'll give you whatever you want."_

" _Dad, no!" Bulma screamed, receiving a slap from the alien, Zarbon, who was sitting on top of her._

" _Do not speak unless spoken to by Lord Frieza, girl," he snapped in her ear._

_Bulma saw Frieza smirk, obviously hearing his subordinate's words. "I can make you no promises," he said. "However, if you prove useful, I might spare your daughter. I am here for one reason only. What can you tell me about your planet's capsule technology?"_

_Bulma's blood ran cold when the alien mentioned hers and her father's invention._ Don't tell him, dad, please…

" _It's my invention," her dad reluctantly admitted._

" _And it can store anything?"_

_Bulma watched as her father considered how to answer the question. He looked like he was getting ready to discuss the answer with his business partners and not as if he was voicing it to a murderous alien. She attempted to call out to stop him, but Zarbon had noticed and covered her mouth whispering many things that disgusted her into her ear._

" _Well, almost," her dad said making her eyes widened. She knew what he would say next. "My daughter has been working on an internal cooling system."_

Dad, be quiet, _she voiced in her head, but she knew it was already too late. She knew the gears in the alien's head were turning, his blood red eyes lighting up while a sinister smirk formed on his features._

" _So your daughter can make these capsules, too," he deduced._

_When she watched her father's expression turn to one of panic and horror, she knew he realized his mistake in confirming what the alien already knew. In seconds, before Bulma could even register what was going on, the alien released a blast that had instantly disintegrated her father. Frieza turned to face her and his subordinate when Zarbon finally took his hand away from her mouth._

" _Daddy," she whispered as tears began to stream down her face. "No…"_

" _It looks like you have use to us after all, child," Frieza said as his chair floated over to her. "I do expect that you will create these capsules for us."_

_Her mind was still racing; she couldn't answer right away. She saw Frieza nod and then felt her arm being twisted behind her back. Gasping out in pain, Bulma started to focus back on the alien's words. Glaring at the monster, she hissed out, "Never."_

_Instead of angering the demon, her words only amused him. "How adorable. The girl thinks she has a choice."_

_Bulma's glare became firmer before the alien on top of her voiced his opinion. "I'd say we_ persuade _her."_

_Bulma didn't like the way he had said that._

_She felt his breath on her face and closed her eyes, grimacing. These aliens were terrors, ruthless, and she was pretty sure what Zarbon was intending to do to her after hearing the things he whispered to her. She wanted to fight, but she knew she couldn't._

" _Miss Briefs!"_

_Bulma's eyes shot open as she remembered that she and her father hadn't been the only ones in the room with these creatures. Her workers and even her mother had been there the entire time and she hadn't even realized that. Their lives, as well as her own, were in danger. She wanted to answer them, but the fat, pink alien had to comment on the blue one's words._

" _That's not fair, Zarbon," he stated. "Maybe some of us would also like to get a shot with the girl. You've gotten the privilege of holding her down. Why not share?"_

_Her heartbeat was the only sound she could register, even over the concerned calls of her mother. She said nothing, but she didn't need to. Everyone would understand the fact that she was too terrified to speak out of turn._

" _Come now, Dodoria," Frieza remarked. "You should know better than to stake claim on another's conquest, but you do bring up an interesting point. I'm sure Cui would also like a taste." Frieza looked around the room, a sadistic sparkle in his eyes. "There are many specimens in this very room. The game is this: the one to kill the most of these insects will get the girl as a prize for one round. After that, she will officially be made a scientist on my ship. Are we clear?"_

_There was a chorus of "yes sir" before Zarbon told her he would only be a second and to be a good girl as he released her temporarily for the contest. Bulma didn't listen and moved out of the way and to the stairs as her mother was instructing her. None of the other aliens stopped her or cared. Bulma made the mistake of stopping at the bottom of the stairs to look back at what was happening._

_There was a red orb floating in the sky, glowing brightly before beams shot out in all directions. Frieza hadn't batted an eyelash as the beams struck and killed everyone, including her pregnant mother, while his comrades looked both amazed and disappointed. And then Zarbon turned his head towards her and her blood once again ran cold._

_She ran up the stairs in attempts to get away, but the alien was much too quick. She could hear him coming after her, but still made it into her room. There was no time to get out the window, so she tried to reach her closet. Sure, hiding there might not be able to protect her, but at least it was something._

_But even that was too late._

_Zarbon reached her room before she could try any "escape" option._

" _Please," Bulma whimpered slightly, "don't do this."_

_She was answered only with a smirk before the wind was knocked out of her. He had attacked her from behind, pinning her down like he had downstairs. Her mind drifted back for her mother and father. "Mama…daddy," she whispered focusing on the fact that they were now gone. When she uttered the words, she felt a blinding pain in her side as hot ki was being dragged down her skin. Tears poured down her face as she tried to handle the pain._

" _Now, now," Zarbon cooed softly with an underlying amused tone ringing out. "It is not the time to think of them. Believe me, soon the only name you will be voicing is mine,_ Bul-ma-"

"Bulma! Bulma, wake up! Now!"

Her eyes flew open and she shot up in bed wrapping her arms around herself as her screams startled herself and her mate. She could see the look of horror in Vegeta's eyes and she knew that the memory she had tried to keep buried for all the time they had been mated had finally been seen. There was hurt in Vegeta's eyes, and she knew from the bond that it was because she had never chosen to share the memory with him in the past. Yes, he had known what happened, but to see it through her eyes…it had bothered, angered, and concerned him more that he would have ever thought possible.

Not caring about her fear at the moment, he took her in his arms and rocked her. He had watched her do it with the boys to calm them down whenever they were upset with something. He had identified it as some Earth custom he would never understand, but he felt it was what Bulma needed in that moment, regardless of her nervousness in being held.

"Don't let go," he heard her whisper, her voice hoarse from both crying and screaming.

Vegeta looked down at the top of her head like she was crazy. He didn't plan on letting her go until he knew she was all right. If there was one thing he didn't lie about to Frieza in regards to his mate it was that her mental and physical wellbeing was a priority. "I won't," he said firmly, reassuring her of what she needed: him as her rock. And then he asked her, "Why didn't you show me any of this?"

But Bulma had fallen asleep again once she felt safe in his arms. Sighing, Vegeta pulled her closer to him, as much as he could, and then covered them with the tousled sheets and blankets. In addition to the alarm he felt radiating from Bulma and the images he saw from her memory, the fact that she had been thrashing around in their bed had been a hint that there was something wrong. As the memory started to go deeper into what had happened to her at the hands of Frieza's second, she started to still but hyperventilate. If Vegeta hadn't woken her up, he was sure she would have been reliving that trauma right now, and that was not what she needed.

Her slow and relaxed breathing began to lull him back to sleep. He gently stroked her arms and settled his hands over her stomach before joining her in the next few hours of hopefully peaceful slumber.

* * *

When Bulma awoke, Vegeta was still holding her. He had meant it when he promised not to let her go. Now that the queen was refreshed and refueled with peace, she was a lot calmer and moved herself away from Vegeta which woke the king up. He lazily looked at her before closing his eyes again and grunting, "Better?"

"Yeah," Bulma replied. "Thank you for earlier."

"You don't have to thank me from protecting you, Bulma," he assured her.

It was rare for him to use her name, but whenever he said it, there was a loving tone to his voice. It was just as loving as when he used the words "woman" or "yuubutsu." All three were names he would call her, and no one else would hear the loving tone that went along with them other than those closest to them.

She smiled fondly at her mate, moving closer to him again. "I know," she told him, "but I'm still thankful."

"Why didn't you let me see before?" Vegeta asked her now that she was awake. He felt the anxiety return to her and pulled her into a crushing hug. "Do not be afraid around me, yuubutsu. Whatever happened, I want to know. It is my duty to keep you safe in all aspects."

"I've always been afraid of what you must think of me," she confessed. "I mean, with what happened, I was just always too weak, and I was afraid you wouldn't want me."

"Bulma, look at me," Vegeta commanded. When he had her attention, he spoke again. "I knew what had happened to you before you ever told me. I've been on plenty of purges in my life, and let me tell you, not all of the men were as kind as the Saiyans you've met. They met their end because of their own foolishness. The point is I knew, and I took you as a mate anyway. I don't care about your physical strength. Besides, you are much stronger than you give yourself credit for. Twins, Bulma…do you know how many Saiyan women have had complications that you didn't have with giving birth to twins? Not only that, but you've been carrying this memory with you and you're still standing, as my queen as well as my mate. Never, ever say you are weak again, understood?"

Bulma nodded, not able to find her voice in that moment, but she didn't need to say anything. Vegeta smirked at her and then ran his fingers through her hair. "Now that that is settled, I believe we have some early morning business," he said suggestively making Bulma smile. "And then breakfast."

"As my king commands," she teased before he descended down on her.

* * *

"Hey, Trunks?" Little Vegeta called warily, waking his brother up.

"What?" Trunks grumbled the last remains of sleep. He noticed the serious look on his older brother's face and asked more softly, "What's up?"

"Did you hear mom earlier?"

Trunks froze, his eyes widening in terror. He had thought hearing his mother screaming was just a dream, but now that his brother voiced his concerns Trunks was even more worried. But his dad would have been there to help her, right?

"Maybe we should go check on mom and dad," the younger brother said. Little Vegeta nodded his agreement, and the two sped to their parents' room.

* * *

Bulma sighed in contentment as she nuzzled against her mate's bare chest. Vegeta too looked relaxed and happy, a rare smile dawning itself on his face. "I think my king is getting better," she teased making him frown and look at her questioningly.

"Better?" he remarked. When he saw her smile become a teasing grin, he smirked. "I believe my queen has improved as well."

"Shut up," she laughed as she lightly smacked his shoulder. He chuckled in amusement and pulled her close to him. But then, something shocked him.

"Bulma, go get dressed," he ordered her.

"Hm…why?" she questioned unsure of his change of demeanor.

"Change unless you want our seven year old sons to question what went on in here."

Bulma forced herself out of bed and began to put her discard clothes on, Vegeta following suit. She was actually surprised of how concerned he was about their kids questioning their activities. She figured Saiyans wouldn't mind teaching their kids early not to barge in their parents' rooms since they weren't necessarily embarrassed by the topic. No, it was more like they respected mating to the point of rarely discussing it, unless you happened to be Kakarot's brothers. But still, they would eventually need to tell their children not to barge into their room anymore, and Bulma wondered if Vegeta put the conversation on hold because of his experiences with his father and mother.

The twins did in fact barge into the room slamming the door open with almost enough force to break it and tear it off its hinges. Vegeta was about to scold the boys for not controlling their strength, but they went straight to their mother looking highly concerned. One of the things he hoped to achieve by spacing out their rooms was that they wouldn't hear their amorous activities, but Bulma's screams were a different story. The king could recall the time where Tarble had startled her so many years ago. Everyone then had heard her and came running, though this time they all knew her situation and that Vegeta was with her. Except the boys. They knew absolutely nothing in regards to what was going on, and Vegeta wasn't lying to the lizard when he said his sons were fond of her and would protect her. They loved their mother.

"Mom, are you okay?" Trunks asked with worried eyes. They always reminded Vegeta of Bulma's eyes: wide-eyed, curious, and concern shining in their depths.

Bulma looked confused as her son asked that question. "Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?"

"We heard you scream," Little Vegeta and Trunks said at the same time.

Their mother paled before kneeling down in front of them with a serious expression on her face. "I am fine, boys," she said as she placed her hands on their shoulders. "Sometimes I just have bad dreams, but it's okay because your daddy was here for me. It was only a dream."

"But dreams can't hurt you," Little Vegeta stated with a frown. "You told me that."

Bulma grinned at her little boy. "Yes, but you remember how real dreams can feel, right? Sometimes even mommy needs to be reminded."

"So you are okay, then?" Trunks asked hopefully, his face still contorted with panic.

A nod was his answer, as well as opened arms which both twins took advantage of. Vegeta smirked as he watched his mate hug their sons. He loved her and both of his boys so much, though he rarely voiced it. He made sure they knew by his actions how much they meant to him.

"Now that all of this is settled, Trunks, Goku…" Bulma saw Little Vegeta frown at being called by his first name, but was thankful he didn't catch his father's attention or voice his interest in the name. "You two should get ready for the day. You will be going out to the square with Kakarot and his son for training. A new tournament will be taking place here very soon."

"Really?" the boys asked in excitement, Little Vegeta's irritation disappearing in seconds.

Trunks grimaced, though, when he saw the look of terror on his mother's face. Something about the tournament must have had her on edge, but the little prince did not understand why. He almost missed the fact that his brother was ready to leave and get ready, and ended up being yanked from his parents' room before he could ask anything regarding the subject. As his older brother pulled him away, Trunks watched as his father embraced his mother, patting her back and assuring her she would be okay. What was he missing?

* * *

Later, after everyone was informed of the tournament, Vegeta made the video call he was dreading. Frieza seemed to have been waiting for him as if knowing the Saiyan king would accept his proposal.

"I was expecting your call," the Arcosian said with his sickeningly sweet voice. "So what is verdict?"

"My queen has agreed with your terms, and we intend to hold the tournament in two months' time," Vegeta dictated. "We have much to prepare here in that time. We hope these terms will be acceptable in addition to the terms we already discussed."

"Oh course, Vegeta," Frieza replied. Vegeta did his best not to show his irritation since they were both on their own ground. Unfortunately when Frieza came to the planet, titles would need to be used so as not to insult the "guest." "And as stated, my men know that your queen is off-limits, regardless of past history. I do believe we can all get along, and I look forward to making a deal with you for the capsule technology."

Vegeta's brow rose slightly at the Arcosian's cockiness. "You must be very confident in your men to presume a deal will be made."

"That is the thing about me, Vegeta," Frieza responded with a sinister smirk. "I do always get what I am after. Remember that." His face then lit up once more. "I shall see you in two months. Ta!"

The call was ended, and Vegeta felt immense relief. Appearing indifferent to Bulma and her painful past was difficult, but possible. Dealing with the ridicule was even more tedious. Once this tournament was underway, things were going to be much more difficult for his family. He had already seen the look of concern that flashed across Trunks' face. Seeing that pained him because he knew the boy was very protective of his mother. He knew nothing would stop Trunks from finding out what had happened, and then it would be harder to keep their sons away from the monster.

"So it's official now."

Vegeta turned from his spot and saw his brother standing in the doorway. Sighing, he motioned for Tarble to follow him. The two of them walked into the throne room, where they could be alone. "Yes, unfortunately."

"I…" Tarble started nervously before he began to consider his words carefully. "I know I was never the best fighter, Vegeta, but I will help you protect her any way I can."

Vegeta nodded. "You do know that I never expected you to be a fighter," he remarked, to which Tarble nodded. "Unlike our father, it did not bother me and it still doesn't. Do what you can, but do not do anything that could get either of you killed. I would prefer not to lose any of you."

Tarble smiled at his brother before he hugged him. Vegeta was unused to his brother showing the emotional side of himself as an adult, but he did not mind returning the hug. He would always remain, to him, as his little brother that he would do anything for. "We should get to breakfast before mother worries," Tarble suggested. Vegeta agreed and the two of them left the throne room with their unspoken deal. Tarble would not fight in the tournament, but he would make sure both himself and Bulma were safe.

Though, ultimately, it was his own duty to protect his family, and he would make sure he did, no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I have to say, out of all my stories, I think this is the darkest one I've ever written. I don't even know where any of this stuff comes from. It honestly just writes itself...from a fleeting thought I had driving my car home from class back as an undergrad...I don't even know what to say anymore. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I thank you all for your support and continual reading.


	23. Part II: Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters

He was very nervous about posing the question to his father, but Trunks needed to know. His mother was never afraid. Trunks remembered his minor, irrational fears as a child that his mother always helped him with. She would use all logic to explain the fear away, and Trunks was thankful. He knew if his brother had known, he would have been teased mercilessly for the rest of his life.

His mother was never afraid. Nightmares could come, even to the boys, but they never reacted so strongly. Of course, there was nothing terrifying enough for the two half-Saiyan boys. It made the child wonder something very off-putting.

What did his mother have to be afraid of?

His mother had to have seen something devastating enough to cause such a horrid nightmare that could make her scream. The screams he heard, they were haunting, and he almost believed them to be a nightmare of his own until his brother had called attention to them.

He knew his father was in his private training chamber. He himself was supposed to be with his brother and Kakarot in the square training. His mother was more important. He didn’t want to get himself involved in the tournament if it was going to cause his mother more pain.

Trunks was protective of Bulma. Little Vegeta was as well, but he was more stubborn like their father. Despite the elder twin’s desire to be perfect in their father’s eyes, Trunks was more of his mother’s child. It didn’t mean he didn’t like to train or fight, but he sometimes felt more like an Earthling than a Saiyan, and he hadn’t ever gotten the chance to go to his mother’s home world. When he had asked to go one day, both his parents grew quiet and that was the day both boy’s learned that their mother’s planet was now uninhabited.

 _Maybe that’s what her nightmare was about,_ Trunks hypothesized. Still, he needed to know for sure, and he needed to know how this tournament was connected.

Vegeta could sense his son outside of his training quarters and forced himself to ignore the feeling of the boy’s energy fluctuating in nerves. Sometimes Vegeta couldn’t understand Trunks’ emotions, but he realized that the boy was just like his mother which would cause him to smile fondly. He still couldn’t believe either of his boys were a part of both him and Bulma. It didn’t even matter to him the circumstance in how they came to be. Both Vegeta and Bulma had agreed a long time ago that they wouldn’t change anything about their relationship for the world. Whatever tragedies befell them led them to this amazing life.

Only one being now stood in the way of that with his annoying lackeys.

“Dad?” Trunks called out as loudly and confidently as he could. “I need to speak with you. It’s important.”

Vegeta released a sigh, but shut down his gravity machine. Over the years, Bulma had created a few more that were in different parts of the planet so that Saiyans could train. Vegeta pretty much confiscated the one in the palace, though there were times he allowed his boys to train there with him, as well as those in Kakarot’s family.

When he opened the door, he saw his small son standing tall with a serious expression looking up at him. Vegeta had no idea what was so important that the boy needed to interrupt his training, but he crossed his arms and waited for the boy to speak.

Trunks took a deep breath and then blurted out his question. “What’s wrong with mom?”

Vegeta’s eyes narrowed as he thought of anything being wrong with his mate. “What are you talking about?” he asked darkly with a cautious tinge to his voice.

“Her nightmares,” Trunks elaborated looking down, “they have to be more than just dreams if she reacted the way she did. Also,” he looked up to his father, “when you mentioned the tournament, she looked terrified. Why? I deserve to know what happened to my mother.”

Vegeta didn’t disagree, but he couldn’t tell Trunks much of anything in regards to his mother. The boys were still young, and Vegeta hadn’t even discussed mating with them. He couldn’t bring himself to tell Trunks what had truly happened to his mother, but he knew one day both he and Bulma would need to sit the boys down and tell them everything. They were prolonging that as long as possible, and the couple planned on never telling the boys anything about the former king’s horrible challenge. There was a lot they didn’t need to know.

But Vegeta knew Trunks would continue to haunt him until he explained his mother’s behavior. He had always kept a cleaner story in the back of his mind in case one of the boys came to him. He mentally commended himself for being prepared for a moment like this. Nodding his head towards his office, the two of them walked side by side. Once in the office, Vegeta closed the door and motioned for Trunks to sit down.

Trunks did as instructed, and Vegeta sat in a chair next to him. This office was normally a meeting room for Vegeta and the council, but Vegeta used it when he needed to have private conversations. This fell under that category.

“Trunks,” he started heavily, his voice unwavering but quiet, “your mother has been through quite a bit that we have not told you kids yet. You know that your mother is an Earthling.” Trunks nodded in response. “And we told you that the planet has no habitants.” Trunks nodded again as Vegeta sighed, a slight growl shining through. “Your mother’s planet was attacked a long time ago, back when we were teenagers, and the entire population was eliminated save for her.” He ignored Trunks’ opened mouth and widened eyes. “My father was king at the time, and he was not a good man. He had ordered Kakarot and I to complete the same mission some other race had already performed. We had no idea that another race would purge your mother’s planet, but that is what happened.”

“Why would your dad order you to purge a planet?” Trunks asked curiously. “Didn’t he know that was wrong?”

Vegeta cringed at hearing Trunks refer to his father as “dad.” That was the affectionate term Bulma had taught to their children, and Vegeta could not think of the former king in that regard. “My _father_ , as I said, was not a good man. He was a cruel and evil leader, and if it wasn’t for a combined effort he would still be in power today. We have your mother to thank for making all of that possible.”

Trunks smiled as he thought of how much his mother and father must have done to protect the planet. Knowing that there was an evil ruler before his parents made Trunks realize how lucky he was to be born after that time. Purging did not sound like a fun activity.

“I found your mother alone in her home in a catatonic state,” Vegeta continued returning Trunks’ attention to him. The boy frowned becoming serious, not knowing what his father was going to tell him. Vegeta, however, knew he’d be sidestepping the major details and thus he could gage what his son’s reaction might be. “She had sustained some injuries, but she healed rather well. I had decided to bring her with us, knowing one day she might tell me who had attacked her world. I didn’t expect to fall for her the way that I had.”

“The ones who attacked,” Trunks started cautiously, “are the ones coming to the tournament?”

Vegeta nodded. “The leader who ordered the destruction is the one who proposed the tournament. I knew who he was, and I tried to keep your mother hidden. At first I didn’t tell her, because she would be anxious, and Frieza needed to believe I feel nothing but obligation towards her.”

“Why?” Trunks asked in a whisper.

Vegeta’s expression darkened as he eyed his son. “There are sick beings out there who would use someone’s loved ones against them. I’ve already experienced that with your mother in dealing with my father. Frieza, to my knowledge, is much, much worse. He cannot know about our bond as the rest of the Saiyans do, and so I need to act indifferent towards her and to both of you boys.”

“Wait, why didn’t grandpa like mom?”

Vegeta growled at the fact that Trunks used another endearing term to describe that man. “Trunks, do not call him that. He was a horrible man who only knew how to cause pain. He would not have been a family man, so those terms your mother has taught you…do not describe him that way.”

“He hurt mama too, didn’t he?” Trunks questioned, becoming sad. “I’m sorry.”

Vegeta was confused by the apology. “For what, boy?”

“That you didn’t get a dad as good as you,” the child replied making Vegeta’s heart do a backflip. Trunks then became serious, determined even. “I do not want to enter the tournament,” he told his father. “I want to be with mom. Those men…I don’t want them to hurt her.”

Vegeta’s expression softened and he placed a hand on Trunks’ shoulder. “I am proud to call you my son,” he said, “and I know that you’ll be able to look after your mother if I am not around. You do not have to enter.”

Trunks beamed at the praise. He loved hearing his parents say they were proud of him. He always did his best to please both of his parents, so it always meant a lot. “I won’t let you down, dad.”

Vegeta smirked at the boy. “I know you won’t.”

* * *

Bulma was still a little on edge after reliving her memories the previous night; however, she wasn’t going to dwell on it. She needed to keep it together for both hers and Vegeta’s sake. One way she could do that was to drown herself with work. Sure, it wasn’t the healthiest method, but she needed to keep busy. “So Vegeta said something about creating rules?”

Kalina smiled at her daughter and took her hand. “Yes,” she replied. “We can mitigate damages that way. Already, Vegeta has suggested disqualification if an opponent is killed. That will prevent Frieza’s men from landing fatal blows, if he truly wants the technology. Another task we can implement is a preliminary round with hand to hand combat where victors can move on to the actual tournament. Those less skilled will never make it to the main tournament, and therefore won’t be hurt by stronger competitors.”

Bulma released a soft sigh, feeling relieved. “It seems like you’ve done this before.”

Nodding, Kalina explained, “Vegeta’s grandfather held a small tournament and I sat in on the discussions. He didn’t want to lose any of his men because of a battle gone wrong. Some Saiyans would get carried away.”

Bulma felt relieved that her mother-in-law had thought of so much. Though she didn’t like the idea of her sons competing in the tournament, she at least felt a little better about it. After all, they had both trained with their father, Kakarot, and Nappa. She trusted that they learned enough from all of them to be able to protect themselves from the people in Frieza’s army.

Thinking of the lizard’s name made her shiver slightly. If that was how she felt about him, she didn’t even want to know how she’d react to seeing his second-in-command. She shook her head free of those thoughts and then looked over to Kalina who was looking at her with a strange look of concern.

“Bulma, are you sure you’ll be all right?” Kalina questioned softly.

Bulma had to force herself not to tear up at Kalina’s motherly tone. “No,” she admitted. “I mean, yes I will physically be all right, but emotionally…I just hope Vegeta can handle pushing back my emotions. He doesn’t want Frieza to know about how complete our bond is, or he would use it against both of us.”

Kalina nodded. She remembered Frieza. She had been young when King Vegeta the first had met with Frieza. She had been hiding, not letting either know she was in the room. Even as a child, she felt immense terror when she looked into Frieza’s cold eyes. They lit up as he threatened the man who saved her. To this day, his name caused a trickling fear to wash over her. She couldn’t even imagine how Bulma kept herself as composed as she did the previous day. Frieza had been responsible for the destruction of her race with the intention of using her skills to continue with his violent conquests.

“Vegeta will be able to handle him,” Kalina tried to assure the woman. “He has always managed to hold himself together, even if he was nervous. His father never knew of his fear regarding mine and Tarble’s safety.”

Bulma had been shocked to hear Kalina openly admitting to the concern Kakarot had mentioned to her the first day they met. He had noticed it only because he and Vegeta were together when Vegeta was nervous. Instead of acting nervous, he had managed to remain cold, distant, and angry. She knew Kalina was right about Vegeta keeping his emotions in check. Still, she had to ask how Kalina knew.

Before she could ask, Kalina beat her to it and explained. “He never said anything, but I’m his mother. I can tell these things that other people could never see. If he wasn’t concerned about either of us, he would have never convinced his father to permit him to assist on Tarble’s first purging assignment.”

Smiling ruefully, Bulma thought back on that time, the time where she was able to have some space and force herself to adjust. It was when Vegeta had been gone after Tarble’s mission when she had found out she was pregnant. It had been a hard time for all of them and, though it was hard to forget, everyone had put it behind them. Occasionally, though, they would all have their moments. They tried not to let the two young princes know. The conversations about that time would come much later.

Right now they had Frieza to worry about, and this tournament.

Bulma forced a smile and gave the former queen her gratitude. “You don’t know how much it means to me that you’re helping me with this.”

Kalina, in a moment of motherly affection, pulled her daughter-in-law in for a hug and smoothed out her hair. “Everything will be all right, Bulma,” she said softly yet confidently. “You just have to trust me.”

Bulma nodded. She did trust Kalina’s word. It was the Arcosian tyrant and his men she didn’t trust, but she knew somehow they would overcome the challenge. They had, after all, been through so much already, and they had two Super Saiyans on their side. What could go wrong?

* * *

Little Vegeta couldn’t believe his brother decided not to take part in the tournament and was pouting the whole way to the square. He was hoping Trunks would go and sign up with him, but he opted to stay in the lab. The older prince rolled his eyes. Sometimes Trunks seemed to be more human than Saiyan, and he always seemed to be attached to their mother. It’s not to say that Vegeta didn’t love his mother, because he did, but he had an image to keep. He knew he was going to be king one day. He and Trunks had already come to terms with that. Besides, the throne required a strategic presence, not a scientist. Well, that’s at least what Little Vegeta believed, though he would always confer with his brother. His parents, after all, ruled in harmony, one a master strategist and the other a scientist. So far, it seemed to be working for them and their people. The young prince would never want to change that.

“Hey, Prince Goku,” Kakarot greeted when he saw the little prince in the square. The other children he was training stopped to observe the prince who occasionally showed up to train with them.

“Kakarot,” Little Vegeta greeted, nodding to him.

Kakarot smiled at the boy and couldn’t help but think how much the boy resembled his father in both looks and personality. It was a shame that Vegeta had told Bulma not to give either child his name. It would have fit perfectly with the boy.

“What brings you here?” the older Saiyan asked. “Come to train for the tournament?”

Little Vegeta nodded again. “I did,” he answered. “When do we sign up?”

The spiky-haired Saiyan shrugged his shoulder. “You’ll have to ask Queen Bulma or your grandmother about that. They were going to work on the tournament rules today and then send all the information out tomorrow.”

The prince nodded again, not wishing to say too much and just get into training mode. He did, however, want something to stop. “Kakarot,” he stated, garnering the attention of his Saiyan mentor and the other children, “I know how much you hate the titles. You don’t have to use them unless in the presence of officials. I’m sure these children won’t report that.”

Kakarot smirked at the young boy. He knew that he didn’t need to use titles as he had been forced to do in the past. In public, he never did with Vegeta or Bulma after the former king’s defeat, but he had been given permission by them to forgo titles. He had not been granted that right by the princes, though he never used their titles in private. He figured one day they would say something, but he was still not expecting it.

“Fine, Goku,” he replied warmly. “Now, get into your stance and we can begin.”

* * *

Vegeta returned to his and Bulma’s room late, though she was still awake making a write-up for the tournament. She didn’t even take a moment to glance at him, not until he took the paperwork out of her hands. He took a quick look at the pages before placing them on a table beside their bed.

“I was reading those,” she said blandly, staring at him as if he was behaving like a child.

“I know,” he replied uninhibited by her reaction. “And now you aren’t. It is late.”

“I pulled a lot of all-nighters in college and graduate school,” she told him. “This isn’t any different.”

He remembered her telling him about her planet’s culture and the schooling she went through that allowed her to be a part of her father’s company. Though she had been young, she had gotten through her education quickly. In response to her words, he rolled his eyes. “It doesn’t matter,” he remarked. “You have time for this. You need to be well-rested. You know you get anxious if you don’t get enough sleep.”

Bulma frowned at him. “Can you blame me for being jittery?” she asked with a bit of a snap in her voice. “The monster that destroyed my world will be here…and that other creep…” She stopped talking as she shivered. “I mean, I knew I’d face them again one day, but I was hoping for capsule technology to be out there a few more years until that happened.”

“You would have never felt secure,” Vegeta stated. “You’ve been waiting for this to happen, and you would have worried about it your entire life. At least now, they will be here and our people will win. Then they will leave, and if they decide to come back we will be ready. We’ve eliminated the element of surprise by accepting his terms.”

Smiling, Bulma shook her head. “I forgot how amazing of a strategist you are,” she complimented. “I know you’re right, but I still feel so uneasy. I mean…I don’t want either of them near our children. I guess it can’t be helped with the boys entering.”

“Only Goku will be entering,” Vegeta revealed shocking his mate. He paused and thought about how he would continue since the subject was so sensitive for her. “Trunks asked about your nightmares today. I gave him the extremely less detailed version of what happened to your world and about my father’s order to destroy it as well.”

“How did he take that?” Bulma asked hesitantly. She knew she had told her boys a lot about her parents and how attached Trunks had been to the idea of having a grandfather, especially one he was named after.

Vegeta, remembering his son’s words blushed slightly. “As well as can be expected,” he answered. “He told me he does not wish to participate in the tournament, but would rather stay by your side and make sure none of Frieza’s men can get to you.”

Bulma nodded feeling an overwhelming sense of relief when her husband told her this. At least she would only have to worry about one of her sons, though she still was apprehensive about that. These rules Kalina suggested eased her mind a little bit. The rule of killing leading to disqualification would deter Frieza’s men from causing too much harm to any other competitor. There would also be plenty of other fighters from other races that would be strong or cunning enough to best the evil warriors.

“Not gonna lie,” she started to chuckle, “but I’m kind of glad he took after me. I’d hate to worry about both of our sons getting themselves into trouble.”

Vegeta just smirked. He knew she was teasing him, and he too was happy that Trunks was choosing to look after her instead of fighting. He would have been immensely proud if both boys entered the tournament to test their skills, but he also felt relief when his youngest decided to bow out. He had his mother’s mentality when it came to fighting…only for defending oneself or someone else. Goku, he really took after him. Offense or defense, he didn’t care, just as long as he could push himself to his limits. That was the mentality that would stand up against Frieza’s selected competitors.

“No more talk of this tonight,” Vegeta ordered while getting into bed beside his mate. “We have plenty of time to worry about everything else in the next few weeks. Get some rest, yuubutsu.”

Bulma flashed him a small smile and moved to kiss his lips. She lingered there a moment and then pulled away only to lay down and pull the covers up to her shoulders. Vegeta, having wanted the kiss to be more heated scoffed at his mate’s retreat, but as long as she was resting he didn’t care. She needed to work on keeping her stress levels down, and she could only do that when rested.

 _Well…no more late nights for a while, I guess_ , he though bitterly to himself before he joined her in the realm of sleep.


	24. Part II: Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters

“Let’s see…” Bulma murmured as she looked through the planet’s archives. “Who else should we invite to the tournament?”

Vegeta looked up from the report he was reading to see Bulma diligently sending messages to their allies to see who would come to the tournament. Though the alliances had been restored with many planets, a lot had already said they would prefer not to return to the red planet. The current king could not fault them. His father had ruined whatever bonds they had. The only old allied planet to accept the invitation was the planet, Rescue Star, where Chi Chi was from. Her father had returned with her, and the Saiyans actively sent aid to the planet. They had befriended a family there. The king of the planet responded saying that they would be sending two of their best warriors and the students that trained with them.

The other planet that had announced their attendance was of a people Vegeta couldn’t stand, the Swarons. He had visited the planet with Bulma after the alliances had been restored, but he had been less than impressed. Of course, the king, Pri, bragged about his two boys all the time. They had been nothing but spoiled brats, only a few years older than his own children. It had left a bitter taste in his mouth when the king “joked” about Vegeta and Bulma having a daughter and how he hoped, if that happened, that the royals would consider an arranged marriage between the princess and his oldest son, Tri. Needless to say, both princes would be entering the tournament. Vegeta didn’t know how they’d fair against adult warriors, but King Pri seemed very sure of his sons.

Bulma continued to send out invites, and some other planets agreed so send fighters and spectators. Still, she just wanted to make sure she didn’t miss any of their new allies or that she didn’t offend anyone. “What do you think about inviting the Needellens, Vegeta?”

Vegeta leaned back and thought on that. The king, like Pri, was a bit insufferable, hoping to arrange a union between one of his sons and the nonexistent daughter. His sons weren’t the worst, Vegeta figured, but they were still pretty arrogant. If his memory served correctly, he and his wife, had had a little girl some years back as well. “Why not? I’m sure the princes will want to show off. Invite them as well. At least we’ll have some entertainment watching the Swarons and Needellens parade their sons around to ‘win us over.’”

Bulma chuckled and shook her head. “Yup, for the daughter we haven’t even had yet. By the time we actually have a girl, they’re probably going to be twenty years her senior.”

“Don’t even get me started,” Vegeta scoffed. “So, how are you handling things?”

“Better,” Bulma admitted. “Since your mother helped me with the rules, I’m not as worried about losing anyone. Still…I can’t help but feel haunted. I…I mean-”

“I know,” Vegeta interrupted while pulling the woman close to him while thinking of his own haunting. His father’s words just continued to accost him at the worst moments. “Once this is over, you will never have to worry about them again.”

“What if they lose and then decide to attack the planet?”

Vegeta knew Bulma feared the worst. He couldn’t blame her. Frieza and his men had annihilated her world. That could not be erased. “I know you don’t want to hear this,” he began cautiously, “but Planet Vegeta is better equipped to handle an invasion. We are also a lot stronger than…”

Bulma hated to hear her mate say that, but she couldn’t refute it. “I understand that,” she responded through gritted teeth. “That just makes me feel worse. I mean, what if we had had the knowledge of alien life beforehand? Dad and I could have created shields to keep invaders out. We could have stopped it before it began. We could have-”

“You can’t do this to yourself,” Vegeta chided, gently cradling her head before he pulled away to look at her. “Maybe things would have different and maybe they wouldn’t be, but if you continue to think that way, you’re going to drive yourself insane. Believe me; I used to think that way.”

She remembered. She hated it, but she remembered. From the time she had met Vegeta up until now, she knew he always blamed himself for how long his father was in power. She knew his mind always attacked him, the questions of why he couldn’t overcome the tōgoku or why he couldn’t have become Super Saiyan earlier with all of his training. He would sometimes ask aloud why he had been a failure when it came to Gine. It wasn’t fair, the conditions his father had kept them in, and unfortunately she had passed. Vegeta had been angry at his father, but he had also been angry at himself. He even felt like he had failed Bulma. It had taken him years to stop blaming himself for things beyond his control. Now, Bulma was doing it to herself, and Vegeta would not allow it just as she hadn’t allowed him to wallow in pity.

Bulma leaned against her mate, resting her head in the crook of his neck. She took a deep, calming breath and then closed her eyes. “You always know what to say,” she murmured against his skin.

He hummed in response, loving the feeling of his woman pressed up against him. “I learned from the best,” he responded lovingly, “my yuubutsu.”

The queen sighed happily as her mate pulled her closer and kissed her. A smile appeared on her face as she returned the gesture. “What time is it?”

“Almost time for a council meeting,” the king grunted as a smirk appeared on his face.

“So, we have plenty of time.”

* * *

Prince Goku Vegeta was watching the children train in the square with a vigilant eye. The children were actually more powerful than he expected, but still not anywhere at his level. Compared to the adults, they were nothing. The strange part was that they had all signed up to enter the tournament even though they had no chance. Maybe it was the attitude he inherited from his father, but none of these children deserved a chance to compete against him.

“Hi.”

Little Vegeta looked over to his side to find a Saiyan girl about his age standing next to him. She looked cheerful, too cheerful, and the prince scoffed. “To who do I owe the pleasure of conversation?” he grumbled.

The girl laughed at him which made a scowl appear on his face. Sure, he had growled out a response, but he had at least said something polite like his mother had told him to do when speaking with their subjects. “My name is Tomala. Would you like to spar?”

The prince eyed her strangely, looking at her like she was crazy. This girl looked scrawny and her power level was laughable at best, though his father always told him not to judge by power level. Anyone could hide their power if they tried. But still, he highly doubted that this girl could compete with him. “I don’t think so, little girl. Why don’t you run along and fight some of those weaklings over there?” He nodded over to two kids clashing and missing each other for good measure.

Tomala glared at him. She had only asked to spar, and now the prince was insulting her strength. “My mommy told me I have the power of the standard elite warrior from the old ranking system. I can take you.”

“Your mother is probably just trying to spare your feelings,” Vegeta replied cruelly with a smirk. Tomala was about to snap at the prince, but she was interrupted. “But if you’re so insistent on proving your skills, let’s take this somewhere else. I’m not one to hold back.”

Tomala smirked at the prince. “Well, how ironic. Neither am I.”

“Good,” Vegeta replied. “Then _you_ can pick the location.”

“You’re on.”

* * *

“This tournament if going to be pretty awesome.”

Kakarot rolled his eyes at his twin. “Awesome” was not the word he would have used to describe it. This tournament was a formality where an intergalactic tyrant was attempting to force their king and queen, their _friends_ , their _family_ , to give them what he had ruined the queen’s home planet for. It wasn’t a celebration of a new era. That was only a pretense, and both Raditz and Turles knew it, too. Bardock had sat all the boys, including Gohan, down to explain just what they were dealing with.

Turles smacked Kakarot in the shoulder, his expression grim. “There were some people passing by,” taking a swig of his beer. “Had to make it seem like nothing’s up.”

“Everyone knows something is up,” Kakarot relayed, “except maybe the children. I’m hoping they’ll all be out in the preliminaries.”

“You don’t think any of them are strong enough?”

“The only children that show promise are the prince, this girl, Tomala, and Onoir’s son, Machin. But we know that these fighters aren’t going to take into account that they’re children. They’re going to treat them like any person. Even if death is out of the question to get what they want…”

“You can’t worry about that until the prelims are over,” Turles countered while taking another sip. “Seriously, get a drink. I’ll buy.”

Kakarot shook his head. “Why did I come here with you?”

Turles chuckled and called the bartender over with a flick of his wrist. The female tender rolled her eyes and smiled walking up to the two. “What’ll it be, boys?”

“Get my brother the strongest thing you have,” Turles requested. Kakarot was about to deny the drink, but Turles simply said, “He’s in need of relaxation.”

“I would prefer to be sober,” Kakarot muttered before looking to the bartender. “Sorry, miss, but I don’t want anything.”

“It’s fine,” the woman replied. “I kind of figured. Your brothers come in all the time, and you haven’t once joined them, so I can only assume you got dragged here because Raditz was busy with some one night stand, right?”

“Peppan,” Turles replied with a smirk, “I have to ask again, why do you care what Raditz does?”

The bartender, Peppan, rolled her eyes and scoffed. “I don’t care what the idiot does. It just sickens me how he fools around with every girl he sees.”

“Why?” Turles replied smugly.

Kakarot was not what anyone would call observant when it came to anything but fighting, but he could sense this woman’s, Peppan’s, anxiety. She covered it up well with her anger and disgust, but the current Saiyan general could tell exactly what his brother was implying, and there was some merit to it. “A lot of the girls in this bar are friends of mine,” Peppan countered. “I just hate seeing them get hurt.”

“Are you sure it’s them getting hurt?” Turles remarked. “Believe me; my brother lets the girls know exactly where he’s at in terms of commitment. Maybe you just don’t like seeing him with other wom-”

“Will you just shut up?” Kakarot hissed at his twin. “Why don’t you go take a walk? Clearly you’ve had too much with how you’re acting.”

“Whatever,” Turles replied with a smirk before looking at Peppan, “but she knows I’m right.”

Turles decided to leave the bar as per his brother’s insistence. Peppan was actually surprised at how well Kakarot had handled his twin. “I was fine, you know,” she lied. “You didn’t need to stand up for me.”

“No, I did,” Kakarot sighed. “My brothers can be pretty irritating, but I’m sure you figured that out already. I apologize for Turles’s insensitivity.”

Peppan decided to take a seat since the bar wasn’t too crowded. “I guess I’m used to it. That’s what happens when you change mindsets, I guess.” Kakarot looked confused by her statement, so Peppan explained. “I used to be on the same…um… _purge team_ ,” she whispered the last words so quietly, “but I had quit that life a long time ago, before the former king was defeated. I couldn’t handle the death at all. None of us liked it, least of all Raditz. It was the three of us and two others, and those two and Turles handled it so much better than we could.”

“Yeah, I know how my brothers were every time they returned from missions,” Kakarot replied. “I can relate.”

Peppan nodded. “I’m so thankful times got better for all of us and that the children never need to see what it’s like to purge,” she stated, “but at the same time, I can’t escape it. Eventually, Raditz and I started seeing each other. Whenever we were on planet, we would hang out in one of the old bars in the slums. We confided in each other when we got drunk, and to be honest I felt like I knew him. But then, I just couldn’t take it anymore and I quit the team and decided to open my own bar because that’s where I felt safest. After that, Raditz stopped talking to me and it was all over. But, eventually, he and Turles started coming around. Turles had said something about the bar getting great recommendations from other Saiyans, and well… And ever since, they’d either get drunk and leave or get drunk and pick up girls, and Raditz would leave with females right in front of me. Turles gives me a hard time about it…always.”

“Why?” the other Saiyan breathed out. For all he knew of his brothers, this seemed way too petty and harsh. And for what? Kakarot knew they were foolish and idiotic, but to purposefully throw one night stands into a woman’s face and knowing that it hurt her. “You know what, I don’t want to know why? I hate to sound like Turles in this moment, but what are you going to do about it?”

“Huh?” Peppan asked in shock. “W-What do you mean?”

“Are you going to let Raditz walk all over you or are you going to fight back?” Kakarot elaborated. “Look, I don’t know my brothers as well as most Saiyans probably know theirs, probably because I spent more time with Vegeta than them, but I can tell this much… If Turles is going out of his way to tear you down like that and Raditz is making the effort to make you jealous, there’s something there. So I ask again, what are you going to do about it?”

Peppan smiled slightly causing Kakarot to grin widely. “You’re not like your brothers, are you?”

“Nope,” the Saiyan chimed. “And thanks. I take that as a compliment.”

Peppan laughed. “Okay, this might be a longshot, but would it be totally out of line to invite myself for training tonight?”

“Not at all,” Kakarot answered softly. “There is a tournament coming up. Besides, I think it’d be fun to see my brother sweat.”

“I’m honored that I have at least one approval,” the Saiyan woman responded, “but I doubt this will make _too_ much of a difference.”

“Eh, he might surprise you. By the way, I’ll cover the bill for now. If Turles comes back, just tell him to go home.”

“I will,” Peppan assured him. “Thanks, Kakarot.”

* * *

Of course, not all tournament preparations could be that harmless.

In another portion of the galaxy, Frieza’s soldiers were preparing for battle. Half would be competing, and the other half would be prepared for battle and wait on ships outside Planet Vegeta’s atmosphere. Frieza, however much he was loathe to admit it, knew there was the possibility that he would not get what he wanted. He needed to take every necessary precaution in case his men failed him.

If Frieza were fighting himself, he wouldn’t need to take these precautions, but his participation had been denied. The tyrant had not expected the Saiyan king to place that type of restriction on him. After all, the man appeared indifferent to the destruction of his queen’s home world. The Saiyan didn’t realize, though, the mistake he had made. He tried to play off his connection to the woman, but it was clear as day.

The second the Earthling scientist entered the room, Frieza knew. He saw the cool, collected façade of the king disappear. His statements about the capsule technology were clearly rehearsed. When the queen entered the room, the illusion was broken. Of course, before the woman entered, Frieza tested the waters. He used the term “wife” which immediately set the king off. He had corrected him, and that was the first sign that he cared more for his queen than he let on.

After her entrance, King Vegeta became more defensive of the woman, especially when it came to the tyrant’s “harmless” remarks about their entwined past. If the king was truly indifferent, his fists wouldn’t have clenched and his demeanor wouldn’t have soured. It was quite interesting that the current king was so much like his grandfather, more than he was aware.

It amazed him that the current king had never been informed about his presence on the planet. Most beings would be offended, but Frieza took it as a compliment. Clearly, the council and the former queen did not want to alarm the king. He smirked. He had already known he was a force to be feared, but now it was confirmed. The Saiyans, the universe’s “warrior race,” feared him. The strong, intelligent Queen of the Saiyans felt great anxiety and panic at just the mere sight of him. Knowing this, as he swirled his wine around in glass, he only had one, sinister thing to say.

“This tournament will be interesting, indeed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So, I have the tournament roster planned out by this point, but I still need to work on characters, abilities, and fighting styles. Now, there was one race I had thought up a few months ago that I planned to use in a sequel to my other big DBZ AU story, Blackmail. This race is the Needellens with their princes and the princess. I debated long and hard on whether or not to put them in here before I ever get to introduce them in Blackmail’s sequel, but seeing as I have a whole prequel to write, I figured they should be in this one. Just to get a taste. I also decided to add Peppan, who is my OC in Blackmail that becomes Raditz’s significant other. Truth be told, I just love her. She has a different story here, though. I need to add a drawing of her to DA when I can, but I needed to have more of her somewhere, so this tournament was the perfect opportunity. I’m really excited to execute this tournament now that I have it played out.


	25. Part II: Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters. I do own my own OCs. Yup, I need to add that into the disclaimer now, because I have a lot of OCs coming up that I’m excited to introduce and will be important :3 Yup…exciting, right?

After a long bout of training with the Saiyan general, Peppan needed a water break. The two of them were breathing pretty heavily, but she was definitely feeling worse than he was. Kakarot offered her a towel which she graciously accepted. “You’re not bad,” the palm tree-haired Saiyan commended. “You’re going to do great in the tournament.”

“Thank you,” Peppan replied before looking away. “Do you think it’ll be enough?”

Sensing her change in mood, Kakarot grew confused. “Enough for what? I know we’ll be able to stop these creeps from getting what they want.”

“I wasn’t talking about the tournament,” Peppan sighed. “Do you think me being here training will get your brother to actually look at me? He rarely ever does even at my place of work.”

Kakarot, as he had told the female Saiyan, didn’t really know much about his brother and how his mind worked. For the longest time, he only saw his brothers as the one-night stand type of guys. He never imagined Raditz having any kind of seriously relationship. The fact that he broke if off because Peppan stopped purging was strange. That, and the fact that Raditz said nothing to their family except for Turles, was also concerning.

“I’m not sure,” Kakarot admitted, “but just try to act natural. Just attempt to talk to him to see where he’s at. I’m sure eventually he’ll get over whatever it was that bothered him.”

“Who are you talking about?”

Peppan grew stiff, but Kakarot was not bothered by Raditz’s appearance in the gravity room. “What are you doing in here, bro?”

The older Saiyan’s eyes narrowed at his younger brother before they darted over to Peppan. He scoffed in derision. “I could ask you the same thing, _brother_ ,” he sneered. “I didn’t think you had it in you to be unfaithful.”

Kakarot’s eyes widened before an amused grin appeared on his face. He couldn’t help but laugh. “Funny, Raditz, but wrong. Nothing is going on here. We were simply training for the tournament. Turles took me to that bar you guys frequent and introduced me to Peppan. After he left, we discussed the tournament and training.”

Hurt flashed over Raditz’s features, though the general had no idea why. “You’re entering the tournament?” he asked the woman softly before the anger returned to his voice. “Why? Thought you couldn’t stand that life.”

“Protecting the royal family by defeating competitors in a tournament where killing is _not allowed_ is much more tolerable for me. You of all people should understand.”

“Whatever,” Raditz grumbled before he crossed his arms and began to walk away. He stopped momentarily at the chamber’s entrance. “Better return to your wife, Kakarot. She was looking for you.”

And with that, the long-haired Saiyan was gone.

Peppan felt her spirit sag. Seeing Raditz again in his own home had seemed like a good idea to start, but now she was unsure. “I’m sorry he accused you like that,” she offered to the Saiyan general.

Kakarot simply waved her off. “Raditz is just being difficult,” he replied. “It’s nothing to worry about. Anyways, I need to go find Chi Chi. You’re welcome to join me. She’s always looking to have some more female friends.” He started awkwardly scratching the back of his head. “I guess it’s kind of hard considering our family is basically all men.”

“I can understand that,” Peppan teased with a semi-strained smile. “Sure, I’ll go with you.”

“No one is going anywhere.”

Kakarot and Peppan turned to see Vegeta standing in the doorway of the gravity room, his face looking pale and stressed. “Your mate can wait, Kakarot. I need to discuss something with you alone…” His eyes cut over to Peppan. “In private.”

Peppan held her hands up. “No problem, Your Majesty. I’ll just…explore a little bit?” She looked over to Kakarot who nodded, his expression growing more serious than she had seen in him.

As Peppan began to leave the room, Vegeta’s voice stopped her. “Who are you?” he asked.

She turned to him and quickly bowed her head. “My name is Peppan, my king. I will be participating in the tournament. General Kakarot offered to help me train. I, um, sort of know the family…”

Vegeta nodded. “My mate and his wife are out in the garden. You will find them there.”

“Thank you,” the woman said with a smile before leaving the other two Saiyans to talk.

“What’s going on?” Kakarot asked his friend. He was growing increasingly worried by the second.

“Everything just got a whole lot worse,” Vegeta started. “Now…don’t tell your mate I told you first, but your father just informed both of our mates about something that’s going to make this whole tournament thing even more dangerous.”

“What?”

“Bulma is pregnant,” Vegeta admitted. “And…your mate is as well.”

Kakarot paled slightly. “How far along are they?”

“Not very. By the time the tournament happens, they will still be able to hide the fact. But…those energy reading devices…Frieza and his men will know.”

“Tell them they can’t wear the scouters,” Kakarot demanded, growing a bit irritable and defensive. “It would be an unfair advantage.”

“You’re saying exactly what I was an hour ago when we were told,” Vegeta stated. “I already tried to suggest that with Bulma. She is afraid that Frieza will retaliate if we take too much away from them. We’re already taking their chance to kill and bring weapons away. Not to mention, if they lose, Frieza will not get what he wants and may retaliate anyway.”

“Exactly,” Kakarot responded. “If he is already going to retaliate, taking their ability to sense our unborn children away is the best option. They can’t know.”

“Agreed,” Vegeta answered. “Which is why my mother is talking with our mates right now, explaining that.”

“We’re in deep water, aren’t we…” the general mumbled, shaking his head.

“Unfortunately,” Vegeta scoffed. He couldn’t wait for all this tournament nonsense to be over. Hopefully, Frieza would take the hint and give up, but something about that thought already struck Vegeta as false.

* * *

Peppan left the gravity room and started to head towards the garden when Raditz appeared in front of her. “I didn’t take you for a homewrecker,” the man snapped bitterly.

Taken aback, Peppan just gaped at him before she regained her composure. “What are you talking about? We were only training.”

“That’s a load of bull,” Raditz scoffed. “You’re a treacherous little bitch, you know that. Even if it was just training, how could you do this to me? Coming into my home and getting to know my brother after you threw me away.”

“I…I didn’t…” Peppan tried to say. Raditz knew full well that he was the one who ended it. “Raditz…it had nothing to do with you. I just…those lives, the children. I couldn’t live with myself anymore. Please, you have to understand.”

“I understand that you’re selfish and that you never gave a damn about me or our team,” Raditz spat. “And I don’t want anything to do with you, so if training with Kakarot was some ploy to get back into my life, end it now, because it will never happen. Go find someone else to whore yourself to. I’m done.”

Raditz turned his back on the female Saiyan and walked away, not seeing the devastated, heartbroken expression on his former lover’s face. Her hand gripped over her heart as she struggled to breathe. She felt, now, that the gravity room was empty and headed back to the sphere, locking herself in there. Falling to her knees, she let out an agonized scream as she prayed for the pain to stop. Of course, she couldn’t be so lucky.

* * *

At dinner, everything was tense. Raditz was irritable. Kakarot and Vegeta were both worried and thinking while their mates looked to them nervously. Bardock was quiet, as were the queen and Nappa. The twins just looked between the intense adults and shrugged, wondering what was going on. Gohan sort of knew what was up.

“So,” Bulma said to interrupt the heavy silence, “we have some news.”

That caught Raditz’s and Turles’s attention as well as the children. “What news, mom?” Trunks asked warily. He wondered if it had anything to do with the tournament and the destroyers of her home world.

“Well, both Bulma and I had been feeling a little under the weather lately…”

“Under the weather?” Turles questioned.

“It’s an expression that means ‘sick,’ Uncle Turles,” Gohan explained.

“Yes, well,” Bulma responded, “it turns out that both Chi Chi and I are pregnant.”

The room grew very quiet, and instantly heavy once again. “You’re kidding, right?” Raditz asked. Then he looked to his queen. “You always seem to have bad timing, don’t you?”

“Shut up,” Vegeta bit out, barely touching hiss food as he tensed.

“What does ‘preg ant’ mean?” Little Vegeta asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.

Vegeta’s heart stopped when he heard the question. He had never talked to either of his kids about any marital activities between him and their mother. His own past haunted him, how his father had hurt his mother and basically explained the purpose of a concubine when the prince was old enough to talk. He never wanted that for his children, and now he actually had to explain to them that their mother was having a child. They inherited the woman’s curiosity, and he knew the conversation would not stop there.

“Being pregnant means that a woman is going to have a baby,” Gohan explained, not knowing that the king was having a conniption.

“How does a woman get a baby?” Trunks questioned.

“Are you serious?” Turles muttered before looking at the king. “Our dad gave us the talk when we were younger than this. Don’t tell me you haven’t even tried.”

“Considering the talk _I_ was given, this should come as no surprise to you,” Vegeta grunted, looking away from Turles and back to his sons who both looked so confused.

Gohan seemed to pick up on Vegeta’s hesitance and decided to do the talking for him. “Okay, boys, well…when two mates really care about each other, they have children,” he said sidestepping anything about the horrors the king had witnessed. “They have these very private training sessions only for them and because of those sessions, and woman may end up pregnant with a baby.”

“Really?” both boys voiced in unison, clearly surprised by the very idea that training could lead to babies as well.

“Yeah,” Vegeta grumbled out. “Let’s go with that.”

Bulma chuckled at how red her mate became at Gohan’s very prudish interpretation. She looked to her boys and smiled. “Of course, that’s why parents need their special training time. You never know when a baby is going to show up.”

“I still don’t buy it,” Little Vegeta said, “but it’s as good an explanation as any. Just as long as it’s mates training. I’ve been training with this girl and I don’t want a baby.”

There was a round of laughter around the table from Kakarot’s family, but Vegeta and Bulma just looked at their son in a daze. “Oh man…kid, you really don’t have to worry about that for a _long_ time,” Turles guffawed.

“You’re training with a girl?” both Vegeta and Bulma asked at the same time.

Little Vegeta shrugged. “Yeah, Tomala. She’s pretty good. Only kid out there that challenges me. She can be really annoying, though.”

A small smirk made its way to Vegeta’s face as his eyes met Bulma’s. He could already feel how amused his mate was, as was he. Neither of them had expected their son to show interest in anyone this early, but it already seemed like the boy had interest in this girl. “You should invite her to train sometime,” the king offered.

His son seemed to linger on the idea before he nodded. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. Training with the kids isn’t going to help her much. We both outclass them.”

“Wow…he sounds so much like you when we used to train with other kids at that age,” Kakarot remarked humorously. Then, he noticed something that he should have noticed earlier. Of course, earlier he had been tense with the news about his wife being pregnant. “Hey, where’s Peppan?”

“Who?” Bulma asked, having not met Peppan earlier like Kakarot had expected.

“Feh,” Raditz spat before he shoved some food in his mouth. “She’s probably gone doing exactly what I told her to do.”

“What did you tell her to do?” Kakarot questioned anxiously.

“Told her I was done and that she could go wh…throw herself at some other interested party.”

Vegeta glared over to Raditz, though he was thankful he managed to cover up his accidental slipup. He saw Kakarot glaring at his brother as well. “Did you ever think that maybe your words would hurt her?”

“Why do you care?” Raditz growled. “Don’t bud into my life, Kakarot. I’m not in the mood.”

Kakarot shook his head and tried to sense Peppan to see if she was still in the palace. She was, though her energy was intensely erratic, and she was in the gravity room all alone. “Shit, I’ll be right back,” Kakarot said hurriedly as he nearly flew out of the room.

“What in the world was that about?” Bulma asked. She saw Chi Chi glaring at the seemingly indifferent Raditz and realized that whatever it was wasn’t good.

“You should go with them,” Vegeta announced, eyeing Raditz as well. “The woman is in the gravity room.”

“What?” Raditz asked, sounding a little surprised. “What would she be doing there?”

Vegeta didn’t answer the question, but he could already feel that something was off with the woman he had met earlier. Eventually, he said, “Your words affected her more than you realize.”

With that, Vegeta stood up and moved to lead his family back to their quarters for the night. Tarble stood up with them, having been silent the entire dinner yet wanting to talk to his brother and Bulma about what was going on in the lab while they had been preparing for the tournament. Everyone else looked to Raditz who finally decided to get to his brother and Peppan.

* * *

Kakarot found Peppan crumpled on the floor curled into a ball as she sobbed silently. He was thankful that her energy hadn’t been erratic because she tried to put the gravity up too high like Vegeta had done when he attempted to distance himself from Bulma all those years ago. Still, the fact that her energy was fluctuating so badly was cause for concern. “Hey, Peppan,” he called out softly. The woman didn’t respond. “Peppan, listen, it’s me, Kakarot.”

“I know,” she whimpered, refusing to open her eyes. “Please, just leave me alone. I just need to be left alone. This pain has to stop.”

She sounded like she was out of it, slightly delirious and past her breaking point. “What pain, Peppan?” Kakarot asked. “Did you hurt yourself in here? Did you try to turn the gravity on?”

“No,” she replied in a whisper. “Please, I can’t talk about it here. He’ll come back and say those horrible things again.”

“Who?”

“Kakarot, I can’t do this anymore, the coming here, the training, none of it. I just can’t do it.”

“Look, if you’re worried about the tournament, you’re very strong, Peppan,” Kakarot assured her. “I doubt you’ll get hurt.”

“I don’t care if I do get hurt in the tournament,” Peppan answered, still hiding within herself. “I’m not talking about the tournament, Kakarot. I can’t be around your brother. It hurts. I feel like someone is stabbing me repeatedly in my heart. I can hardly breathe. Just leave me alone in here. I can’t go out there and face him. It’s too much.”

“Peppan, what did Raditz say to you?” the kindhearted Saiyan questioned. He was growing worried for the young woman in front of him. She was not talking rationally, yet everything she was saying made sense. Kakarot had his suspicions, but he couldn’t be sure until she said that she didn’t care if she would get hurt and that the pain would stop. He didn’t realize why neither Peppan nor Raditz had seen or felt this before. It was clear to him as day. Peppan was acting as though she had been rejected by her mate.

The two of them must have bonded and mated a long time ago, and Peppan was now feeling the effects of the rejection since Raditz had berated her earlier that day, crushing whatever hope she had left.

“Please, just go. I want to be left alone. I’ll leave soon, I promise. I won’t come back here. Just tell Raditz that he’ll never have to see me again.”

Kakarot didn’t know what to do. Unfortunately, there was nothing he _could_ do for Peppan. Only his brother could assure her that he didn’t hate her. Maybe when Peppan left, Raditz fell rejected, too. All of this could have been some sort of revenge to make Peppan hurt as he was hurting, damaging their bond further. This time, though, Raditz had pushed a little too hard. Now, he’d have to fix this.

As Kakarot exited the room, gaze sternly focused on the door, Raditz showed up. “Is she all right?”

Kakarot couldn’t help but scoff, nor could he help the retort that came out of his mouth. “Why do you care?” he jeered mimicking Raditz’s words from earlier.

The words made the older Saiyan cringe, but they did not deter him. “Answer the damn question.”

“No, she isn’t.” When he saw concern flicker in Raditz’s eyes, he shook his head. “She’s a wreck right now. She can’t handle the fact that she was rejected by her mate.”

“What?” Raditz roared. “What are you on about? Peppan and I aren’t mates!”

“You’re an idiot,” his brother grunted. “If you want to deny it, fine, but think about it for a minute. Did you feel pain when Peppan left the team, right here?” He placed his hand over his chest. “Did it hurt to breathe?”

Raditz’s silence was all the answer Kakarot needed. “The two of you bonded, and you’ve been pushing her away. You assumed that she wanted nothing to do with you after she left, but you’re wrong. Come on, Raditz, we all purged. It was hell. I could barely handle it, and I can already tell she has a softer heart than I do. Didn’t you see her falling to pieces? Didn’t you feel her? The only reason she’s been training here the past week was in hopes of seeing you and attempting to fight for you, and the first thing you do is insult her and tell her you were done with her.”

The older Saiyan looked away, not wanting to answer his brother and prove him right. “It’s none of your business, Kakarot.”

“When someone I’ve been training for the tournament and is mated to my brother doesn’t care what happens to her at the tournament, it becomes my business.”

His brother looked shocked. “She didn’t really say that, did she?”

The only response Raditz got from his brother was a shrug before the younger Saiyan walked away. Kakarot did stop, though, to say one last thing. “Just remember, it’s never too late to change.”

Raditz watched his brother’s retreating form until he was out of view completely before he turned his attention to the gravity chamber. He could feel Peppan’s energy fluctuating erratically and grimaced, feeling immense guilt. His brother was right, as much as he hated to admit it. He didn’t remember taking Peppan as a mate or her mating with him, but that was most likely due to the fact that they were usually drunk when they were together. The signs were clearly there.

He could feel her presence in his mind now that he was lingering on that thought. She felt miserable, and he knew he caused that. It felt like a heavy weight was placed on his chest. He knew he needed to make all this up to her.

Cautiously, Raditz knocked on the door to the training chamber. There was no answer, but Peppan’s energy halted. She probably knew it was him, yet she did not come to the door.

He had already hurt her enough for the day, so he wasn’t about to barge in on her. Though his pride hated that he was letting her control the next move, he waited patiently.

It felt like hours had passed, in the span of ten minutes, before Peppan finally came to the door. She was clinging to the metal, staring up at him with hurt and fear, her eyes red and puffy and her tail wrapped tightly around her waist. It had been a long time since Raditz had seen her this vulnerable. Last time, though, the king could be blamed. This time, Raditz was fully responsible. His brother’s final words rung in his head, but he could not speak.

“What do you want?” Peppan’s quiet voice spoke. Raditz felt a bitter swirling in his chest. This was not the woman he remembered.

“Can we talk?” Raditz tried. He left all of the bitterness he had directed towards her earlier out of his voice. “It’s important.”

Instantly, Peppan’s demeanor changed, most likely in attempts to save her pride. “Oh, so now you want to talk?” she snapped. “Sorry, but I’m leaving. A treacherous bitch like me had no place here. You made that pretty clear earlier. Maybe I should take your advice and do what you’ve been doing this past decade.”

“Peppan, listen,” he attempted to reason with her.

“No,” the female Saiyan replied harshly. “You want nothing to do with me. Well, that’s fine, because I’m done here, too. Don’t worry; I won’t ever bother you again.”

In his shock, Peppan was able to push past him and flee the palace. Raditz remained in the same spot for a while, hand moving slowly over his heart. He could feel Peppan’s pain and anguish, and it didn’t help that she was now trying to push him away to make his rejection of her easier on her. Once again, his brother’s words echoed, but Kakarot had been wrong.

It really was too late, and Raditz only had himself to blame.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So, everyone here is probably thinking, “hey, where’s the BXV?” Well, I wanted to get this stuff out of the way. I have some family moments planned for the next chapter. That will hopefully make up for the lack of BXV. After all, we have to remember, they’re in the middle of planning a tournament while running a planet. Doesn’t leave much time for interaction…heh…


	26. Part II: Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters. Just my OCs

“Why are we doing this again?”

Bulma laughed lightly at her husband’s discomfort, as did both of their sons. She went back to read the book her boys had requested. “And then after the prince defeated the dragon, he and the princess returned home and were wed. They lived happily ever after. The end.”

“I like that story,” Trunks said before looking at his brother.

Little Vegeta only shrugged, not openly admitting that he actually liked being read to by his mother before bed. “It was all right.”

It was Vegeta’s turn to chuckle as he ruffled the hair of both his boys. “See, that wasn’t so bad,” Bulma murmured. “I think this was a nice, quiet family moment.”

“When the baby comes, he’ll be able to join us, too, right?” Little Vegeta asked, some of his excitement at the prospect of getting another sibling shining through.

“He?” Bulma questioned. “And what, mister, makes you think we won’t have a girl.” She tickled her son and he started laughing.

“S-Stop,” he begged between laughs. His mother did so and caught his smile. “And I don’t know, but aren’t girls usually annoying as kids?”

“I’ll try not to take offense to that,” Bulma replied softly, smiling over at her mate who was just taking in the interaction between mother and son.

“I think it would be cool to have a sister,” Trunks stated, but then he frowned, “but what about all those kings who are trying to marry off the baby that hasn’t even been born yet?”

“How do you know about that?” Vegeta asked the lavender-haired boy.

Trunks hesitated and nervously grinned up at his father. “Um…eavesdropping?”

Vegeta sighed. “Try not to make a habit of that. And don’t worry about them. We’re not marrying off a child we don’t have yet.”

“So when does the baby get here?” Little Vegeta asked.

“Well, with you boys, it took about eight to nine months, so it’ll probably be around the same,” Bulma explained.

“That long?” the twins whined.

The older prince scoffed. “You would think if you’re training for a baby, it would go much faster the second time.”

Bulma bit her lip to stop from laughing as she eyed her mate who was frowning with furrowed brows. She understood his concerns about having the actual talk with them, but Gohan’s version certainly was entertaining. “As the brat said, those ‘training sessions’ are private between mates and not up for discussion, understand?”

“Fine,” the boys surrendered.

“We’ll be patient, then,” Trunks mumbled.

“That’s what I like to hear,” Bulma stated as she stood up and bent down to give her boys kisses on their foreheads. Vegeta didn’t show _that_ kind of affection to their kids, but he did place his hands on their shoulders, gently squeezing them. “Now, off to bed.”

“Night, mom! Night, dad!” both princes said before they flew out of the room and headed to their own for some much needed rest.

Bulma closed the door behind them only to wind up trapped against it. She turned around and was met with Vegeta’s hungry kisses as he held her gently in place. Moaning slightly into the kiss, Bulma pushed him away a bit just so that she could catch her breath. She wasn’t used to these random times where Vegeta would grab her from behind like that, but as long as it was him she could handle it. It just came as a surprise, these moments of desperation, because he rarely ever acted on them keeping her comfort level in mind. “What was that for?”

“You are the most amazing woman in the universe,” he told her. “And motherhood looks too damn good on you.”

The queen grinned at Vegeta, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck. “And fatherhood looks really good on you, too, my king. The boys love you so much.”

Vegeta leaned in again, claiming her lips with his as one of his hands moved to her stomach. He sighed into the kiss in relief as he felt the small energy stirring inside of her. “Even though this is a bad time, I don’t necessarily mind the baby. You’re giving me yet another amazing gift, my yuubutsu. I will do everything in my power to keep you both safe.”

“I know you will,” Bulma replied as returned his kisses. A knock on the door, though, separated them.

Bulma answered the door to see her brother-in-law smiling sheepishly at her. “Um, sorry if I’m interrupting anything,” Tarble offered. “I just wanted to talk to you guys about something.”

“Is everything all right?” Vegeta asked, slightly concerned. When Tarble smiled over at him, he relaxed.

“Yeah, it is. I just wanted to talk to you guys about some things I’ve been working on in the lab. It’s going to help when all of the competitors get here.”

“What do you mean?” Bulma asked. As she voiced her question she frowned. The fact that she had to ask that just showed how little she had been in the lab for a while. That was quite frustrating now that she thought about it. She would have to make it a point to get down there and make sure nothing was falling behind.

“Well,” Tarble stated, holding his hands behind his back, “I’ve been working on something. I thought about it a while ago. I decided to look into upgrading our armor.”

“What kinds of upgrade?” Vegeta inquired. He was actually interested to hear Tarble’s idea to see if it would be worth investigation.

“It’s a combination of the expanding armor that our soldiers used off-world when they whenever they went to a planet with a moon,” Tarble began to explain, “and Bulma’s shield technology. I had Gohan use one of the old prototypes and realized that when protected by the shield, I couldn’t feel his ki at all.”

“Really?” Bulma asked. She couldn’t sense energy, so when she made the shield prototypes, she had no idea that she actually used a component that blocked out ki readings.

Tarble smiled at his sister-in-law and nodded. “I was surprised, too, but then I actually tried to construct a piece of armor with the shield system installed inside and realized that the wearer could actually mislead the enemies. They wouldn’t be able to sense ki at all. It’s malleable and great for stealth missions where fighting is unnecessary, but still protects from ki blasts in case someone is ever caught. I was thinking…you and Chi Chi should wear them when the guests arrive. That way, even if they have the ability to read ki or use those scouter devices, they’ll never know either of you are pregnant. And…if they attacked you, you and the baby would be safe.”

Bulma breathed a sigh of relief before grinning at the young Saiyan. “Thank you, Tarble. I would have never been able to figure that out without you. I had no idea that the shields could stop someone from sensing ki since I can’t sense it myself.”

“Speaking of which,” Tarble spoke up again, “Bardock said that he wanted you to meet him tomorrow in the training area. He said he wanted to train you to sense ki so that you’re aware of your surroundings and some basic defense, if Vegeta is okay with it, of course.”

Both Tarble and Bulma looked to the king who mulled it over briefly before nodding. “It would be in her best interest,” he agreed. “As long as he is careful.”

“He will be,” Tarble promised. “He said he’s not really going to attack her or anything. He just figured she should learn the basics.”

Vegeta nodded again and sent Tarble to inform Bardock that he agreed with his plans of training. He and Bulma then took to the bed for Bulma to get some adequate rest now that she would be training. Vegeta, though, decided to stay up a bit longer just holding his mate as she slept and feeling the shifting energy of his unborn child. It was truly surreal to feel another life growing day by day.

* * *

After Peppan had left, Raditz had felt hollow as his own shame came crashing down on him. It took a few hours for the reality of his situation to hit. He was actually mated to Peppan, and he realized that he had been foolish. It couldn’t be fully his fault, but it definitely wasn’t Peppan’s. He could accept that. The fault lied in his own idiocy. His mind had perceived Peppan escaping purging life as rejecting him. He hadn’t listened to her then, and that caused a misunderstanding that he had let last longer than necessary. He shook his head as he thought back to that day.

_“So…why exactly did you call me here?”_

_He eyed Peppan curiously as her tail twitched nervously. Something told him that whatever his teammate had to tell him was big. He wondered if it had anything to do with their upcoming mission. They were scheduled to launch at the end of the week, and usually Peppan was hesitant about each mission. Lately, for the past four missions, Peppan had been confiding in him her fears. It would either be about that…or she could be pregnant. Raditz, then, grew nervous from his own thought._

_“I…the last mission was too much for me,” she admitted. “I didn’t think it was going to be as bad as it was. The quadrant where Turles had sent me was definitely full of weaker beings…” The woman shivered as she thought about it. “But, Raditz, I need to be honest with you. I can’t do another purge. I quit the team.”_

_His mind went scarily silent before emotions started chaotically spinning through his head. “You what?”_

_“I’m sorry,” she whispered, not able to look him in the eye._

_His heart beat heavy and slow as he narrowed his eyes at her. He took her apology as a sign that she was turning him away to face this new planet alone, without her by his side as they comforted each other in the nights. Did she have any idea what she was doing to him then? Didn’t she understand that he had been hurt? Raditz couldn’t answer those questions and he stood up abruptly and started to walk out of the bar that had become their safe haven. At the door, he stopped, not looking back at the woman. “You’re a coward,” he told her before he exited her life for what he had thought would be forever._

Raditz gripped the drink in his hand, glaring hard at its contents. He realized now that he should have let Peppan explain back then. He had known that she was on her last threads of sanity. Killing children and their mothers went against everything Peppan believed in. Of course, she hadn’t been happy killing innocent men, either, but the mothers and the children always hit her hard. Raditz could still remember when she confessed to him for the first time that she was dreaming of a world without purging.

_Peppan had stayed off to the side, away from the fire, on the planet they were camping out on. They had just finished purging a small planet and needed to leave since all the food resources were depleted and the blood of its inhabitants poisoned the water. The team of five stopped off at a temperate, forested planet. There, they found plenty of animals to hunt and crystal clear drinking water. It was a small paradise that provided the group solace, but not Raditz or Peppan._

_Raditz was always jealous of Turles’s ability to just shrug off the senseless murders. The other men in their group seemed able to handle it as well. Raditz, though, could never look past the fact that it was murder. They were hired to be murderers, plain and simple, and it enraged him to no end that they had no say in the matter. With their king still in power, there was no choice. Besides, purging was the only way to get enough money to provide their large family with food and whatever medical supplies they could find to sustain their mother’s life._

_Listening to the men celebrating the success of their mission and their journey home, Raditz scoffed and moved as far away as possible, settling next to Peppan. She was sitting, arms wrapped around her legs as she rested her chin against her knees. He watched her wondering what was going on inside her head. Eventually, she sighed and looked to him realizing that he was there and not going to leave. “What is it?” she asked him._

_Raditz wasn’t sure what Peppan thought he was going to ask of her, but her voice sounded so empty and tired and she was probably waiting to be given an order to hunt or gather. “Why are you sitting over here alone?”_

_He could see her pure astonishment before she looked down and away from him. “I’m sorry, but…I would prefer not to talk about it with one of my commanding officers. It’s no big deal, really.”_

_Raditz chuckled a bit at her statement. “Peppan, right?” she nodded. “Look, no one here is anyone’s commanding officer. We’re all just Saiyans doing a job. If you want to talk about something it’s not like I’m going to report you to anyone. Not even to that bastard of a king.”_

_Peppan gasped at Raditz’s declaration and quickly turned towards him. “You mean…you don’t support the king. You don’t purge just to purge.”_

_It was Raditz’s turn to be stunned. “Peppan,” he voiced carefully, growing serious as his form relaxed only slightly, “I don’t think anyone purges just to purge anymore. It stopped being about finding good challenges a long time ago. The only reason Turles and I are here is because it’s the only job that pays and we have our family to look after. We don’t agree with the current rule.”_

_“Oh,” she said dumbly. “That’s…actually, that’s really a relief. I thought for sure I’d be killed if anyone on the team found out that I was apprehensive about purging.”_

_“I didn’t know you’d be so affected by it,” Raditz admitted. “When I chose you for the team…you had qualified easily into our ranks with your power level. Why did you even apply for the position?”_

_“I didn’t have a choice,” Peppan answered. “My mother wouldn’t let me do anything else. Mostly because of the pay.”_

_Raditz was surprised that anyone’s parent would force them into this line of work. His mother was a butcher until her illness took over, and before that she was on a purge team just because she thought she’d be doing good work through diplomacy. His father had been hardened back then and had to look out for her as they got through their first missions. After his father returned from a mission, he seemed distraught and ended up turning to medicine instead, luckily for the family since his mate had fallen ill after the birth of Kakarot and Turles._

_“That responsibility shouldn’t have been placed on you,” Raditz told her. “You’re just a child.”_

_Peppan actually laughed. “Idiot, I’m no younger than you.”_

_“Exactly,” Raditz retorted. “I am a child.”_

_“Yeah, okay,” the girl snorted. She looked over to the fire, a small smile on her face. “Don’t you want to go celebrate us going home with the other guys?”_

_“Feh,” Raditz spat. “Celebrate returning to our ‘glorious leader.’ Don’t make me sick. There’s nothing to celebrate…the fact that we just got done killing a whole race. I’m staying here.”_

_His and Peppan’s eyes met, and the two of them seemed to reach a silent understand as she leaned her head against his arm. The two of them watched their other three teammates making fools of themselves in the firelight._

She should have been there by now. Peppan always came to her bar before sunset, taking over for her other workers and letting the majority of them go. She sometimes even sent the chefs home, not docking their pay ever. How did Raditz know? Well, mostly from eavesdropping, but also because Peppan seemed to be the only one working the nights that were anniversaries of their past purges. He could never forget them, and apparently Peppan couldn’t either.

There was never a night she didn’t work, but so far she hadn’t shown at all. Raditz ordered another drink, hoping that she was just late and that she wasn’t at home wallowing because of his mistakes.

_Raditz and Turles could hardly believe it. Months after Peppan quit, she opened a bar and the rumor circulating the square was that it was better than their usual watering hole. It took a lot of convincing for Raditz to go, but Turles had pointed out that he could always go home with any girl he wanted. Raditz grimaced at the idea. It didn’t appeal to him, even though Peppan had left him. Still, he kept the idea locked away in his mind._

_He couldn’t help but wonder how Peppan opened up a bar with limited finances, unless her mother stopped harassing her for money and she saved her purging earnings. It was an impressive little accomplishment, but as soon as the fondness entered his heart, Raditz snuffed it out with his bitterness and anger._

_“Welcome, boys, what can I ge-” Peppan greeted before she realized that Raditz and his brother were both staring at her, hatred in Raditz’s eyes and amusement in Turles’s. “H-Hey, guys.”_

_“Hey,” Raditz spat. “That’s all you can say to two of the people that saved your ass multiple times.”_

_“I’m just surprised to see you here,” she admitted in a soft tone. Now that Raditz thought back, Peppan looked vulnerable then, too. As vulnerable as she looked in the present time. “What can I get for you? It’s on the house, okay?”_

_“Sounds good,” Turles agreed as he started listing off what he wanted. Raditz simply stared intensely into Peppan’s eyes and could see hers pleading with his. What she was pleading for, Raditz still couldn’t figure out. Maybe, she had been silently begging him to return to her so that she wouldn’t feel such emptiness. Had Raditz not been so prideful and angry, he might have been able to see the truth. Instead, he let himself get picked up by a woman as soon as he was done eating, and he looked back at Peppan’s shaky form before smirking. He had finally found a way to get his revenge._

“Can I get you anything else?” the waitress asked him. Raditz simply looked up at her before his eyes returned to his glass. “Okay, I can get you another, but after this, I’ll have to cut you off.”

_“I’ll have t’ cut you two brats off t’night,” the bartender said to both Raditz and Peppan. Their eyes were already glazed over. They had been drinking all night._

_They had just gotten back from the latest purge, and the events during the mission left them so broken. Each night after they killed the world’s fighters and their king, the citizens actually lined up in front of them waiting to be killed one by one. It was as if the inhabitants knew that the Saiyans did not want to perform these acts, and each inhabitant looked at them with pity._

_This was the only planet that even Turles and the other team members were truly haunted by. It was easy after the whole race had willingly let them take their lives, but at the same time it was the hardest thing they had ever done. During their other purges, they could attack at a distance, never seeing the looks on the faces of the innocents. Now, they would each be haunted by every face. For Peppan, the women and children stood out the most, mainly because the majority of them went to her looking into her eyes with empathy and understanding._

_The slaughter lasted three whole days, and each night, Peppan and Raditz went off somewhere, because Peppan was afraid to let anyone else see her vulnerable. Raditz would hold her as she cried in agony each night. Her presence comforted him through the night as well. He didn’t ever want to let her go._

_He wouldn’t have been able to sleep had she not been in his arms; he knew that. Nightmares would have consumed him; he knew that, too. Peppan, she would have been awake all night if not for him. She would have gone off somewhere alone to sob out her pain. Instead, she had fallen asleep first, and he had let her soft breathing to lull him into slumber._

_Once they returned to the planet, things had gotten worse. Even though they had gotten through the purge quickly because of the people willingly dying, the king was still unhappy. Why he was unhappy, none of the Saiyans knew, but it didn’t matter. He docked their pay for no reason, and that night Peppan’s mother threw her out._

_Raditz couldn’t go home, couldn’t face his parents, Kakarot, or his young, untainted nephew. Again, he was jealous of Turles because he could just return to life as normal, not caring how many lives he had taken. Despite being haunted, Turles could easily walk into the house and up to his room and sleep peacefully._

_He found himself at the bar, and Peppan was already there nursing a heavy drink. She confided in him that her mother threw her out because she didn’t bring home enough money and that she had nowhere to go. Raditz admitted that he had a place to go, but couldn’t face his family after what they had done. Peppan understood, and the only reason she had been at the bar was because she wouldn’t be able to sleep sober. Another thing Raditz learned about her that night was that Peppan sometimes forced herself to stay awake because she was afraid to sleep. She expected him to pity her, but really Raditz felt like he could relate. He only ever slept well when she was in his arms, which only happened when they were off-world._

_Once the bartender cut them off, they left the bar together, surprisingly laughing. They weren’t really laughing at anything either. Somehow they ended up at a hotel, though to this day Raditz had no idea if he or she even paid for that night. He barely remembered anything that happened._

He did remember her body, and he definitely remembered them waking up together in bed. Peppan had been shy around him after that, but he certainly wasn’t shy. Any chance he got, he would pull her aside and kiss her. The two of them continued to find solace in each other. It wasn’t until she quit the team that Raditz had shut her out completely. Now, he regretted it.

“Hey, handsome,” some woman said, gliding her hand across his shoulders.

Raditz felt a jolt in his chest and pulled away from her. It didn’t deter the woman, only made her laugh. “What’s your name?”

“Not interested,” Raditz growled out through gritted teeth before tossing some money on the table. He stormed out, leaving a stunned woman to go off to her next victim.

* * *

“How are you feeling?”

Chi Chi looked over to Kakarot who was staring at her like she would disappear if he blinked. “I-I’m fine?” the healer replied hesitantly.

Kakarot realized how intense he was being, and immediately changed his demeanor. “Sorry, Chi,” he offered. “It’s just…it’s been a while since you’ve been pregnant, and I just need to know that you’re okay.”

“I’m fine, Kakarot,” she assured him, placing her small hand on his large one. “I’m just feeling a little sick, but that’s completely normal.”

“I thought ‘morning sickness’ happened in the morning, though,” Kakarot stated seriously, though the statement made Chi Chi laugh.

“You know,” she said, “I’m not even sure why they call it that. It can be at any time of the day. It just depends on the pregnancy.”

Kakarot rested his head on his hand, propped up by his elbow, tilting his head slightly. The hand that Chi Chi was holding moved away from her and was placed over her abdomen. “Hey, in there,” he spoke to her stomach. “Take it easy on your mother, will ya?”

A smile formed on the woman’s face as she took the hand Kakarot released and ran it through his spiky hair. The Saiyan’s breath hitched slightly at the sensation, his tail finding its way around her wrist and pulling it down in front of him. He sat up, taking her hand, and the seriousness returned. “We’re going to have to be careful when the guests arrive. Frieza and his men have these scouters that read ki. If we can’t find a way to conceal the baby’s ki, we’re going to be in trouble.”

The smile dissipated, and Chi Chi’s expression became stern as well. “We’re going to be okay, Kakarot. Everything will work out.”

“I know,” he replied. “It’s just that-” A knock on the door interrupted him. “Come in.”

Tarble opened the door and entered the room with a smooth plate that looked like part of a piece of armor. Both Kakarot and Chi Chi stared at the young prince strangely. “I know everyone’s worried about our enemies finding out about the babies. I modified some armor with Bulma’s shield system and, long story short, Chi Chi can wear this and it will hide the baby’s ki. It’s not like they’ll be showing then, but at least they’ll also have added protection from ki blasts…just in case.”

“Does it really work?” Kakarot asked, hopeful once again, hanging on the prince’s word.

Tarble smiled at the general. “Gohan helped me test it out. It definitely works.”

Relief was felt by the couple as Tarble set the stomach plate down on their dresser. He returned to the door and looked back at the two mates. “You can rest easy. We’ll take every precaution to make sure everyone is protected. Have a good night.”

Once alone, Kakarot and Chi Chi exchanged excited grins. Now, with the biggest concern out of the way, they could revel in the news, the news that they would once again have a baby. Everything would work out. Even the tournament would work out.

* * *

Time moved a little too fast for Vegeta as he watched the visiting vessels touch down on the planet’s soil. He couldn’t believe that it was actually time for the events to begin. Frieza’s energy was the first he felt. It made his skin crawl, but he told himself that it was Bulma’s reaction to sensing the energy of her world’s destroyer.

Her lessons with Bardock had been successful. Where she was by no means strong enough to take someone on in a fight, she could at least evade if need be. The armor was perfect in hiding the pregnancy. It amazed Vegeta that the second Bulma adorned herself in the armor, their child’s energy with which he was constantly attuned completely vanished. At first, the disconnection tormented Vegeta, but logically he knew. He wished that Bulma could forego the armor at night, but even then the baby would be in danger. He had made Bulma take the armor off once more just so that he could sense their child’s energy once more before the weeks to come.

He sucked in a breath of air and shakily released it as Nappa walked up to him, placing his hand on his shoulder. “You ready, son?” the former general asked him.

Vegeta answered with a curt nod, still watching as the aliens disembarked their ships.

It was time.


	27. Part II: Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters. Just OCs!

The arrival of the competitors marked the beginning of Vegeta’s nightmares. It infuriated him that he and Bulma could not always be in the same place, especially with Frieza and his men running around. Due to politics, all the off-world kings had to be granted access to the palace. Their families and soldiers would have to remain on site, meaning Frieza, and disgustingly enough the bastard who laid his hands on his woman, would be staying with them in their home. It was enough to put Vegeta on edge.

That was why dealing with the Swaron and Needellen kings wasn’t nearly as bad as usual. He still had the lovely desire of ripping off his own ears, but it was better to get his emotions under control with the droll debate between the two men. On the one hand, King Pri of the Swarons was petitioning for his oldest son, Tri, to be betrothed to the non-existent princess, while the Needellen king wanted his younger son, Inone, to be the one. Vegeta simply let the kings bicker as always while looking over to the others in the room.

King Pri had come with his sons Sri and Tri, both of which would be participating in the tournament. The Needellen princes, Inone and Zolid, would also be competing. They, too, were standing in the room along with their mother and sister. The princess, Vegeta had not ever known about her. She looked to be about his sons’ age, darker in complexion than the rest of her race with tanned skin, black hair, and green eyes, and was standing respectfully, quietly, her hands folded in front of her. No, Vegeta wouldn’t mind having a daughter if it came down to it, and the little princess before him reminded him of that carefully guarded secret.

“The princess will marry my son!” Pri cried out.

“No, mine!”

“Gentlemen,” Vegeta finally spoke up before he registered a familiar ki, his expression growing grim. “Boy, enter.”

Trunks jumped outside the door, not expecting to be caught. Shyly, he entered the throne room and rubbed the back of his head. “Uh…heh heh, hello. Did I come at a bad time?”

Vegeta mentally rolled his eyes at his son trying to cover his tracks. “What have we discussed about eavesdropping?”

“It…won’t happen again, sir,” Trunks murmured sadly before he noticed the Needellen princess staring at him with widened eyes.

Vegeta watched his son carefully as he approached the princess, hoping that he wouldn’t extend his hand or anything in the presence of the royals. It was one of the reasons that Vegeta was against marrying his daughter off to that race. In their culture, the women were to be seen, not heard. They were just there to be there, and they could never have any physical contact with any man save the one they would one day marry. If Vegeta were to have a daughter in the future, he knew she would be like both him and Bulma, not easily silenced, stubborn, prideful…all the qualities a Saiyan should possess.

“Hi, my name is Prince Trunks,” his son greeted the girl happily. “What’s your name?”

The princess hesitated before looking up at her mother for approval. The woman nodded to her, so the girl’s eyes returned to Trunks, her whole body remaining unmoved. “I am Princess Thia of the Needellens. It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Trunks.”

A grin appeared on the lavender-haired prince’s face, happy to have made a new friend. “Would you like me to show you around the palace?”

Again, she looked to someone, her father this time, who nodded to both her and her mother. She looked back to Trunks and said with a bow, “I would like that very much, Prince Trunks. Thank you.”

Vegeta felt relief wash over him as they left without an incident. Had he known the princess was coming, he would have warned both of his children, but there hadn’t been any need in his mind. To avoid an intergalactic incident, he would need to talk with the children later about their strange allies. In the meantime, the king began to go on and on about how Vegeta was a lucky king to have multiple races pursuing a child that hadn’t been born yet seeing as he could not marry off his daughter to anyone. The Saiyan king was listening with great difficulty as the man blamed the lack of petitions on the girl’s unusual looks compared to the rest of their race. No, Vegeta would definitely not promise his daughter to the men of that culture.

As the thought entered his mind, Vegeta and the other royals heard a woman scream in terror in the hall. Instantly, the Saiyan flew into the hallway to find the Needellen queen screaming at Trunks who was looking at his hand in confusion while Thia looked away in shame. “What is going on out here?”

The queen looked to her husband, who glowered at her and commanded, “Speak, woman.”

“The prince has ruined our daughter. We will never be able to marry her off.”

“I don’t understand,” Trunks tried, looking to his father with pleading eyes. “I only took her hand so we wouldn’t get separated through the halls. I was going too fast…”

Vegeta sighed. “Trunks, we will discuss this later. The two of you must stay in the palace, and don’t touch her again, understand? I must discuss this matter with her parents.” He looked to the Swaron king and his sons and added, “We will see what your sons are made of during the tournament. I will not choose someone as of now for a daughter I do not have yet to mate.”

Defeated, the Swaron king ordered his sons to follow him towards the wing where the guests were staying, and the Needellen king and queen entered the throne room once more, the princes glaring down at the Saiyan prince before leaving them be.

Trunks looked over to Thia and frowned. “What just happened?”

“I am sorry, Prince Trunks,” Thia said sheepishly. “I should have warned you that you couldn’t touch me.”

“Why, did I hurt you?” the prince asked in alarm.

“No!” the princess said loudly before regaining her composure. “No. It’s just…may we go somewhere to talk? It has a lot to do with my culture and the customs of our planet. It would not be proper to have the conversation in the middle of a hallway.”

Trunks nodded before a thought occurred to him. “Would you like to see the garden? It’s probably the only green place on the planet.”

“I would love to, Prince Trunks.”

“Hey, come on, would you stop with that?” Trunks asked. “We aren’t in front of our parents anymore, so we don’t really need to use titles. I’m just Trunks, okay?”

Thia took the request into consideration before smiling brightly at the prince. “That is fine. Then I am just Thia.”

* * *

In the throne room, Vegeta could see how upset the queen looked, but she stood there in silence. The Needellen king was not happy, but he could only sigh and say, “It will be even more difficult to marry her off now, but it’s not like we were having any luck with her anyway, so don’t worry about punishing your son for tainting her.”

Vegeta wanted to grab the king and strangle him for such a remark. There was no way he would punish Trunks for an accident, and the fact that the king kept referred to his unbetroth daughter as “tainted” was not sitting right with Vegeta. A thought entered the Saiyan king’s mind and a smirk formed on his face. “I have a solution to the problem that will unite our planets, but only if you agree that any future daughter I have is off limits to your sons.”

“Your Highness, I don’t understand. How-?”

“I petition for my son, Trunks, to be your daughter’s betrothed,” Vegeta suggested calmly. “After all, he seemed to take a liking to her instantly, and it will solve the marriage and union problems. It’s a good deal. I suggest you take it.”

The Needellen queen hesitated and looked like she was about to say something, but she closed her mouth and backed away from the kings. The king pondered Vegeta’s offer before he finally nodded and agreed. “I have no other option for her, so I will agree to it. Thia shall be betrothed to Prince Trunks.”

Vegeta nodded his agreement and mentally relaxed. At least that was one thing he didn’t have to worry about in the future. Unfortunately, he was still incredibly worried for his mate. He needed to find her before Frieza or Zarbon did. Of course, as the royals left the throne room, Vegeta had another task brought to him by one of his subjects regarding the tournament. It was going to be a very long day.

* * *

Thia was amazed by the vegetation in the garden and how pretty everything looked. Her enjoyment, though, was lessened and she appeared very sad in countenance. She and Trunks were sitting on a bench, the young prince kicking his feet still waiting for an explanation. After a long while of silence, Thia finally gave it to him.

“In my culture,” she began, “women must not have any physical contact with any male save their betrothed. Those that do are considered to be ‘tainted’ and not marriageable.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Trunks stated. “No male contact at all…not even from your father or brothers?”

Thia shook her head. “No,” she replied. “The only contact I’ve had with anyone is my mother and maids and only to take care of me and dress me.”

“You mean you don’t even get hugs?” the innocent prince asked in horror. He was very close with both of his parents and, even though he didn’t get as much physical affection from his father, he still had contact whether his father affectionately ruffled his hair or they trained. Hearing about this other culture was a whirlwind for him.

“Uh…please don’t take this the wrong way, Trunks, but what exactly _is_ a hug?”

Trunks’s mouth dropped open before he closed it. “Well, it’s a sign of affection between close family and friends,” he explained. “I…because I grabbed your hand, I basically bound us, right?”

“No,” Thia told him. “I am just tainted, which will make it even more difficult for my father to find me a husband. Unfortunately, because I look so different from them, it was difficult in the first place.”

“You don’t look bad,” Trunks assured her with a smile. “Despite the green eyes, you almost look like a Saiyan. Besides, my mom looks way different from the people here, and by default you’re looking at the only Saiyan with lavender hair. Lavender, can you believe it? Dad and my brother tease me sometimes for it, but it’s all in good fun, honest. No one should degrade you based on your looks.”

Thia smiled beside herself. “You are a very wise child, Trunks,” she murmured. “But you still didn’t bind us.”

“Will this?”

Thia froze as she felt the little boy’s arms wrap around her body and gasped at the contact. For a moment, she was frightened at the sensation. She was hardly ever touched, even by an innocent gesture as to what the prince was doing to her. “Tr-Trunks,” she breathed out. “What are you doing?”

“This is called a hug,” Trunks said. “It’s a sign of affection between close friends and family…and also future mates. So…does this make you feel better?”

Thia chuckled quietly before it became real laughter. She felt so relieved and happy in that moment that her propriety left her for that fleeting moment. If her mother saw her now, she would most likely faint from the sight of her princess laughing in the arms of the Saiyan prince.

Not that Thia would care what her mother thought.

* * *

The square was bustling with activity. Many Saiyans and foreign competitors were training there and entering their names for the preliminaries. Prince Goku Vegeta had met with Tomala earlier so that they could both enter right away. The two children were sparring with each other, enjoying every minute.

“I have to admit, you’ve gotten better,” the prince stated with a smirk. “For a girl, anyway.”

Tomala laughed and rolled her eyes. “You know, your compliments are backhanded. How about an actual one.”

“I only compliment those who can actually beat me,” Little Vegeta taunted, grinning at his rival. She then disappeared from view, confusing him momentarily, and reappeared behind him kicking him in the back and knocking the wind out of him. Vegeta cocked his head to side after he caught his breath and glared at the smiling girl.

“Now can I have an actual compliment?” she questioned both sweetly and smugly.

The prince opened his mouth, to either compliment Tomala or retort, when a scream was heard over in the registration tents. Both children sprang into action, quickly flying to the area where two foreign beings were picking on younger Saiyans around their age. The prince glared at the two aliens, one pink and fat, and the other blue and tall with green hair. Something about the aliens didn’t sit right with the young Saiyan, and he decided to intervene, catching the fist of the pink fool before pushing the alien back.

“I don’t know who you are,” the prince stated forcefully, “but you are strangers on our planet. How dare you attack out people?”

The blue alien chuckled. “I know who you are,” he stated. “Prince Goku, correct?”

The Saiyan was not amused and remained silent to what sounded like a jeer. “And you are?”

“Zarbon, prince,” the alien responded with a sickening smirk, “and this is my colleague, Dodoria. We were registering for the tournament and these little children did not believe we could hold our own in the ring. We were only demonstrating our power a little.”

Little Vegeta didn’t buy the foreigner’s statements. “Save it for the preliminaries,” the prince scoffed, crossing his arms, “and don’t let me catch you harassing my people again.”

Zarbon gazed upon the prince intently, his grin never fading. “Your eyes are blue, just like your mother’s,” he responded. “Darker, but still just as captivating. No ounce of fear, though. Unfortunate.” He turned to face his comrade. “Let’s go, Dodoria. We must reconvene with Cui and the other gnats.” His disturbing glance returned to Little Vegeta. “Farewell, prince. I hope we meet in the ring…if you’re strong enough.”

Vegeta didn’t react, only staying in place as the aliens walked past him, Tomala, and the children. Tomala was instantly at his side. “What…what was that all about?”

Even the prince was unsure. What the alien implied…it sounded like he knew his mother, but that couldn’t be true. His mother had only ever been to two planets, Earth and Planet Vegeta. There was something about the alien that troubled the young boy, mainly the way he looked at him. It was terrifying that this stranger showed interest in him. And his final words…he had just challenged him.

“I don’t know. It was probably just a scare tactic.” And Little Vegeta had to believe that. After all, there was no way the stranger knew his mother. Besides, everyone knew that Saiyans had black eyes. If his father was the Saiyan king, then anyone could assume his blue eyes came from his mother. Still, he would be keeping an eye on the stranger, and he would defeat him in the ring.

* * *

Oblivious to the tension near the registration tables, Gohan was looking around the square. He planned to meet someone there, his friend, Videl, from the planet, Rescue Star, who would be participating in the tournament along with her father. Videl had contacted him recently, telling him she would meet him by the statue of the Legendary Super Saiyan. He couldn’t wait to see the woman again.

“Gohan!”

He turned at the sound of his name seeing his friend running towards him and smiled. The Saiyan noticed that her father was also accompanying her. The short man eyed him warily, though Gohan couldn’t understand why. It wasn’t enough to make his grin fade. Gohan was still very excited to see her.

“Hey, Videl,” he greeted as they approached him. “Good morning, Mister Hercule.”

Hercule relaxed and then forced on a smile. “Uh, good morning.” He then looked up to his daughter and added, “Now, are you sure you’ll be all right?”

“Oh course, dad,” Videl replied before looking at the half-Saiyan. “Gohan will be with me, after all.”

“Yeah, you don’t have to worry,” Gohan assured the man. “I just want to show Videl around. I’ll bring her back to the palace to our wing. King Vegeta said you two should stay with us.”

“Why aren’t we staying with the rest of the guests?” Hercule questioned in confusion.

Videl was the one who noticed Gohan’s grim expression before he smiled at her father. “Nothing major. You’re friends of our family, so he thought it would be better to stay close by.”

Hecule seemed to buy it and said, “Well, alright then. You two have fun, and don’t get involved in any street fights…again.”

Both teenagers chuckled. “Heh, right.”

With that, Hercule left the two alone, and Videl finally questioned Gohan. “So…now that he’s gone, spill. Why are we staying with you, and don’t give me any bullshit about how close we all are. The only reason our families know each other is because you helped me in that fight on Rescue Star.”

That was one of the things Gohan liked about the girl in front of him. She was sweet as pie when she needed to be, but she had a mouth on her and took crap from no one. He could never lie to her. He had attempted to lie about his heritage the first time they met. She had been in a fight with six guys, and they weren’t playing fair. He had joined her, and they took the men down together. It was the first time Saiyans had visited Rescue Star since the alliance had been re-established, so when she asked what planet he was from since she had never seen him before, he had tried to make something up. She had seen right through it and demanded the truth.

Now was no different. “There are some really bad people entering the tournament. They were the ones who attacked the queen’s planet and eliminated all the Earthlings. They’re…staying at the palace. We’re trying to take precautions to keep those we care about safe.”

Videl looked astonished. “Why…why can’t they stay elsewhere?”

“Vegeta…” Gohan sighed. “He has to appear detached from the queen or else Frieza will use her to make him bend to his will. Apparently, he killed Vegeta’s grandmother, and Dodoria, one of his men, murdered my grandfather’s entire team save my grandma, since she was pregnant, and grandpa who was recovering from another mission. These guys are terrible people. I don’t even know the full story of what happened on Earth, but the queen is terrified of them. The reason this tournament is happening is because Frieza wants the capsule technology. It’s why he attacked Earth in the first place.”

“That’s crazy!” Videl shouted before looking around and then quieting her voice. “And…what about the pregnancies? Do they know?”

“No,” Gohan whispered harshly. “No one but our families know, not even the people. The kids know, too, but dad’s been watching them closely. If anyone else knows, dad said it would only be this little kid, Tomala, that Prince Goku has been sparring with. Other than that, only we know. Tarble and I worked on creating something to protect mom and Bulma and the babies. They can’t detect the babies’ ki, and it’s shielded armor so they’ll be safe. Please…please don’t say anything. And tell me you didn’t tell your dad.”

“I promise I didn’t tell him,” Videl assured him, “and I won’t tell anyone else. Gohan, thank you…for keeping us protected, too.”

“You don’t have to thank me for that,” Gohan replied sincerely. “Videl, I care about you. You know that. I won’t let anything happen to you, especially not because of them.”

Videl felt immense adoration for Gohan in that moment, but she covered it up with arrogance, not wanting to be caught up in emotion. “Well, thanks, Gohan, but we both know I can take care of myself.”

Gohan chuckled. “I don’t doubt that at all. Now, come on.” He took her hand in his. “You gave me a tour of Rescue Star, so now, I would live to give you a tour of my home. Welcome to Planet Vegeta, Videl.”

* * *

There were too many people in the square that one of the fighters felt like he was going to jump out of his skin. For years, he served Frieza, though not willingly, and now he had to forcibly willingly write his name down on a paper. He hadn’t wanted to participate in the tournament, but his master made sure he knew what he had to lose. It wasn’t enough that the villain had destroyed his home planet and parents. No, Prince Brenten of the Sintians never forgave Frieza for destroying Sintia Rogue, but he had no choice but to listen to his every command.

“Brenten, don’t forget to add me, too.”

Brenten looked down at his younger sister and frowned. Yes, Frieza had even ordered that his little sister participate in the fights, as well. “Sintia…” he murmured, shaking his head before writing her name down as well. He handed the document back to the Saiyan in front of him and then took his sister’s hand. He knew they would have to meet up with the barbarians soon. Oh, how he hated them all, yet was powerless to stop them.

When they were alone, his sister began humming. “And what are you so happy about?” he grumbled.

“We’re on a new planet!” the little girl said excitedly. “It’s my first time off the ship, remember?”

Brenten hesitated, hating that it was in fact the first time since she was a baby that she actually had earth beneath her. “Yeah, I remember. Sorry about that, but you know you can’t go on any missions. Not yet, anyway.” _And hopefully not ever…_

“I know,” she replied, still happy as anything. “But it’s okay. Maybe we can go the next time you have vacation.”

“Yeah…vacation.” He grew quiet for a minute before he glanced at the time through his scouter. “Damn,” he growled. “We’re going to be late. Let’s go, Sintia, before Commander Zarbon comes looking for us.”

“Alright, big brother.”

He was really glad that his sister was so oblivious to the true horrors around them. However, he had no idea how much longer he’d be able to shield her, especially being on this planet for the tournament. For everyone’s sake, one of Frieza’s men needed to win so that they could use the technology the tyrant wanted. If not…well, Brenten needed to win…somehow.

* * *

“Peppan!”

Peppan jumped as she heard her name being called from the last person she expected or wanted to see. “Oh, hello, Kakarot,” she greeted meekly. “I figured you would have already been registered.”

“I am, but I’m watching out to make sure there’s no trouble. Apparently, some of Frieza’s men were already harassing some children earlier. Prince Goku somehow got involved. Queen Bulma isn’t really happy about that.”

A shiver ran up Peppan’s spine as she thought about children getting hurt. “I…I can imagine. Everyone is okay?”

“Yeah, just peachy,” Kakarot assured her. “So, did you just get done registering?” The woman sighed heavily and nodded causing the other Saiyan to smile. “Great! Hey, I was about to head into town to meet Chi Chi and my dad for lunch. Would you like to join us?”

Kakarot frowned when Peppan recoiled from him and started walking away. She stopped only to say, “I’m sorry, Kakarot, but it wouldn’t be right. I…don’t belong with you guys. Just, take care. I’ll see you at the tournament.”

Peppan was about to rush away when a wave of dizziness consumed her. She managed to hold herself up, her hand quickly moving to her forehead when Kakarot caught her. Kakarot knew what was going on with Peppan, even if she herself never understood. “Peppan, it’s okay. Please come with us. You need food and to be around people who care about you. Everything is going to be okay. You’ll see.”

“No,” Peppan countered forcing the tears to stay at bay. “Nothing will be all right. He hates me.”

She pulled away from him. “Uh, Peppan, wait.”

She tilted her head slightly, a sad smile on her face. “Thank you for your concern, but it’s better this way. Goodbye, Kakarot.”

* * *

Raditz entered the square to register his name into the tournament and was met with the site of his younger brother catching his mate, preventing the woman from falling, only to be pushed away. His concern outweighed his pride. He had tried to find Peppan at her job, but she hadn’t been going for a while. She had withdrawn from everyone, and he knew it was his fault. He couldn’t tell her that they were mates, not yet anyway. What he could do was step up and try to re-establish some connection with her. He owed her everything, even a listening ear to what she was going to tell him that day.

He reached her just as she stumbled and caught herself only to crash into an alien who nearly shoved her out of the way. Quickly, Raditz caught her before she hit the ground, her eyes clenched shut. Her eyes twitched before she finally opened them and took in her surroundings. And then she looked up to the person who caught her and became terrified, her eyes shining with distrust. “Uh…R-Raditz?”

Raditz’s expression softened as he gazed at her, unconsciously holding her tighter. “Peppan, are you all right?”

“I…I think so,” she responded and attempted to stand. Raditz assisted her up and didn’t let go. “You, uh, thank you…”

“Yeah,” Raditz whispered. “No problem. What the hell happened?” She moved to grip her head again and his brows furrowed in concern. “Are you feeling dizzy?”

Peppan nodded. “A little.”

“Did you eat yet?”

Peppan gasped and blushed slightly. “What makes you think I haven’t?”

“Because you never eat anything when you’re upset.”

Her breath hitched as her wary eyes met his sincere orbs. “Let me take you out for lunch. You need to keep up your strength, especially if you’ll be fighting in the preliminaries.”

“You don’t need to worry about me, Raditz,” she told him. “I’ll be fine.”

But Raditz would take “no” for an answer. “Peppan, this isn’t up for discussion. You’re coming with me.”

The woman looked down to the ground and muttered a quiet, “Fine.”

Raditz nodded in approval and then motioned for Peppan to follow him. She kept her distance, but she stayed with him as he quickly registered his name. The two of them exited the tent and started walking into town. “So,” Peppan started awkwardly standing next to Raditz, but still at a distance, “where are we going?”

A smirk appeared on Raditz’s face to cover up his fond smile. “I figured we could go to the bar. Not your bar. The other one, from the night we…”

He watched as Peppan’s face lit up bright red and grinned. It didn’t bother him how distant she was acting. Just being in her presence was helping him, so that could only mean that it was helping her, too. He wouldn’t burden her with the fact that they were mated, not yet anyway. For now, her company was all he wanted.

That was enough.

* * *

Bulma was busy running around the castle getting everything fine-tuned for the guests and the banquet. It had bothered her when her oldest son returned home with his friend reporting the events that happened in the square. Goku had come into contact with Zarbon, and Zarbon in turn implied he knew her to her son. She didn’t feel comfortable, especially when the prince said he thought it was a scare tactic since Zarbon practically challenged her little boy for the ring. Bulma did not want that. She would need to talk to Vegeta about a solution. There was no way her child was getting into the ring with that madman.

“Well, well, well, Queen Bulma, what a pleasant surprise.”

Bulma froze at the sound of his voice, her heart beating fast as the panic set in. _Oh God, please, no._

The queen turned to face a sinisterly smirking Frieza standing in front of her. Where she was taller than the tyrant, she felt so small standing before him. This villain had caused her and her people so much pain. She never thought she’d be standing face to face with him alone.

“What do you want?” she asked with a slight snap in her voice as her eyes narrowed. “I’m very busy organizing everything for the tournament _you_ proposed.”

“Hmn hmn,” Frieza chuckled. “Yes, I’m sure you are. I must say, _Your Majesty_ , that I was shocked to see you the last time I visited this planet. Tell me, how did you escape the planet? We took out every type of transportation you could have used, and I am sure you were too traumatized to actually create something to escape. That only leaves one option.”

Bulma refused to answer Frieza’s wonderings with a response. He didn’t need to know that Vegeta had found her and rescued her from that hell. If he found that out, he might think Vegeta’s connection with her was truly as strong as it was and, like Vegeta, she needed to remain detached. “I need to get things for the banquet handled,” she finally replied. “Excuse me.”

As she attempted to walk away, Frieza stopped her by grabbing her arm with his tail. Bulma shuddered in both fear and disgust. She had never had the displeasure of being handled by Frieza, only by Zarbon. This brought a new wave of sickness that she couldn’t bury down, possibly because of the baby in addition to how sick this alien made her.

“Bulma!” a call came from nowhere.

Tarble came running up to the two looking frantic. “Thank goodness I’ve found you,” he stated as if everything around them was normal. “We’ve run into an emergency. I need you to come with me right away. It can’t wait.”

The look on Frieza’s face told Bulma that the Arcosian was not at all happy with her brother-in-law’s intrusion. She, on the other hand, couldn’t have been happier. Of course, she knew it was a ruse. Tarble was only attempting to protect her. There was no emergency, but Frieza didn’t need to know it. “As you can see, I am very busy,” she stated as calmly and elegantly as she could, given the situation. “I hope you find everything very accommodating. I will be civil with you, Frieza, but only because I find it unnecessary to burden the people with something that happened almost a decade ago. However, I ask that you stay as far away from me as much as possible. Good day.”

Bulma left with Tarble, both royals walking in a forced slow pace down the hall. Frieza wore a pleasant, arrogant grin until the two headed around the corner. Once the two were out of eye-sight, Frieza’s expression darkened as he glowered at the corner. The rage he felt towards his situation, he could hardly contain it. The woman had been his and no one else’s. He planned to return shortly after, and yet someone else had gotten there first. He did not buy King Vegeta’s story about how he just came across her. The girl would not have been able to leave her planet meaning that the Saiyans had gone to Earth for whatever reason. No, the Saiyan had rescued the little human and yet was trying to act like he knew nothing about her origin’s when he in fact knew everything.

_They have no idea who they’re dealing with._

Frieza still intended on getting his way. He would leave with Bulma whether the Saiyans fought him or not. Her technology would be his, and the planet would be destroyed. That was the plan, and Frieza was going to make it happen.


	28. Part II: Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters, just my OCs.

The palace was bustling with activity. The banquet was underway, all the races coming together to celebrate the start of the tournament. The following day would hold the preliminaries. It was actually happening. Bulma’s stomach churned at the thought.

She stayed with Kakarot’s family, sitting beside her mate and sons. They said nothing to each other, still attempting to hold up the illusion that there was nothing between them, no love or compassion. Bulma felt Frieza’s eyes on them, even though her mother-in-law made sure to sit him and his men far on the other side of the hall.

Music started, and couples began to aggregate on the dance floor. Out of formality, Vegeta asked his queen to dance, the two of them remaining on their side of the hall. “How are you faring?” he asked her, his voice stern and stoic.

“I’m fine,” Bulma replied lightly. “This whole thing has me stressed beyond all reason, and I’m not feeling too well.”

“Most likely you need more food,” Vegeta pointed out as he eyed her dish from where they stood. To keep up with the fact that nothing was different, in public Bulma chose to eat virtually nothing. “After this dance, I will have someone escort you back to our room for the night and I’ll station a guard there. I’ll have one of the cooks send you more food.”

“Won’t it be suspicious if I go?” Bulma questioned. “Frieza’s attention has been on us all night.”

“It’s more suspicious if you stay while feeling under the weather,” Vegeta stated. “Look, everyone, most of all Frieza, knows this is a lot on you. The fact that you’ve made it this long without incident is impressive, but it’s time you get rest. I know we’re trying to keep up a guise, but you can’t forget about what we’re hiding.”

Bulma flinched and frowned. “I haven’t forgotten.” Her eyes landed on her two boys who were dancing, Little Vegeta with Tomala and Trunks with Thia while her mother was glaring at the younger prince. The queen couldn’t help but smile. “It looks like they’re getting along nicely with those two girls.”

“Trunks and Thia are now betrothed,” Vegeta explained. “It was accidental, but now if we have a daughter, the Needellens won’t try to pressure us. The Swarons, though...we still have to figure out something with them. I have no intention in betrothing a daughter we don’t yet have to princes who will be nearly twenty years above her.”

Bulma felt a wave of emotion, happiness, pass over her, but needed to taper it down. Vegeta managed to stay so stoic, but she could sense he felt the same. Still, they needed to be in the privacy of their own room to have an intimate moment. Luckily for them, the song ended, and Vegeta escorted his queen back to the table. “Hey, you two, everything all right?” Kakarot questioned before looking over towards Frieza’s side.

“The queen is not feeling well,” Vegeta stoically informed his friend. “She needs to return to our quarters and rest.”

“I can escort her,” Kakarot offered. “I’ll stay until you return.”

“I need to stay until the end of the banquet, especially if questions arise,” Vegeta explained.

Kakarot nodded. “Then I will remain with her until then. Let’s go, your highness.”

Bulma flashed the man a look conveying her thankfulness before her sons returned to the table. “Mother, where are you going?” Trunks asked, concern etched on his features.

“Your mother isn’t feeling the best right now,” Vegeta told the boy. “She is retiring early to rest.”

“Can I come?” Trunks pleaded. He was very concerned about his mother.

“Sweetie, you should stay here and get to know Thia more,” Bulma reminded him. “I heard about your betrothal. Please, just enjoy yourself and have fun. I’ll be all right. Kakarot is coming with me.”

“Well, okay then…”

Before any more attention could be drawn to them, Vegeta sent his mate off with Kakarot knowing that the other Saiyan would keep her safe. He could see amusement dancing in their enemies’ eyes, as if they knew something was going on. Vegeta’s eyes hardened, but he realized it could not be helped. He needed to appear indifferent, no matter what, so he instead brought his attention back to the festivities.

It was going to be a long night without his mate beside him.

* * *

There were so many people, Tarble had gathered. He had never seen so many people in one place. These types of events were never held when he was a boy, and this was the first universal tournament Planet Vegeta held since the kingdom had been restored to its former glory. Of course, it left him feeling out of place and hesitant. He stayed off to the side, away from public view. He simply wanted to observe and to be there if his sister needed him. His concern for Bulma was growing, especially after Frieza had cornered her alone. How fortunate it was that he had been going in that direction.

Strangely enough, Tarble’s eyes were drawn to the left. He could see a woman wearing scarlet spandex and the armor worn by Frieza’s men. She, too, was looking off to the dance floor, but it didn’t look like she had any intention of joining in. Like him, it appeared she felt out of place, though she still held herself with confidence. It intrigued the young Saiyan. He made his way over to her.

The woman did not look at him; however, she did speak, her voice smooth and enticing. “What brings you here, stranger?” she teased, her voice deeply seductive.

Tarble flinched at that, never having been so put off by a voice before. “Nothing,” he answered before looking out at the dancers in the center of the room. “Just watching.”

A grin appeared on the woman’s face. “I’m surprised you aren’t out there. This is your planet after all, and you are a prince, correct? Shouldn’t you be out there dancing with all of the eligible bachelorettes to find your _mate_?”

The way she bitingly uttered the word mate caused Tarble to frown. “Don’t disrespect our ways, stranger,” he said lowly, his voice irritated.

The woman smirked victoriously. “I meant no disrespect, _prince_ ,” her voice slurred. “In fact, I find the idea of mating very interesting. I hear it creates a very special connection between the two individuals. I find the idea of that consuming emotion and lust to be absolutely tantalizing.”

“In some cases it works that way, but not all,” Tarble said, trying to appear unmoved by her words. Still, the way she spoke was stirring something inside of his mind, and he wasn’t sure he liked that. Clearly, this woman worked for Frieza, though she hadn’t been anywhere near his men the entire night. Tarble caught himself wondering more about this woman, while the rational part was asking if this woman could be trusted. “So, um…uh…”

“Prada,” the woman spoke, giving Tarble her name before he even knew that was what he was about to ask.

“Okay, Prada…tell me, how did you end up working for Frieza?”

“The same way, prince, that everyone ends up in Frieza’s employ. Either through blackmail, treaty, or destruction of a planet.”

“Which of the three do you fall under?” Tarble questioned.

Prada smirked viciously before answering, “The last one.”

Tarble’s expression remained neutral as he looked back out to the dancefloor. He couldn’t believe how fascinated this woman seemed over the destruction of her world. To be honest, he was starting to think something was wrong with her, but then he remembered that she had most likely been in Frieza’s employ for a long time. Heck, even a child that was part of Frieza’s team was entering the tournament. It was possible Prada had been raised in a way where occurrences like this were normal. Maybe that’s why she appeared unfazed.

The prince turned to leave, not wanting to linger on those thoughts, what he could have been had Vegeta not defeated their father. He remembered that one mission where everyone tried to protect him so he would never have to grasp the true horrors of the atrocities. Vegeta made sure that he never had to kill a single inhabitant. Tarble had never been more thankful.

“I’ll see you around, prince.”

Tarble glanced back at Prada to find her staring out into the crowd once more watching the festivities from a distance. He wondered what was going through the woman’s mind, but decided to just abandon the party. After all, something about their interaction had left the prince feeling overwhelmed. He needed rest. He needed to make sure he would be able to keep an eye out for Bulma the next day. He couldn’t afford any extra distractions.

* * *

Raditz and Peppan were the only ones who did not attend the banquet. Instead, they had remained at the bar, though they hadn’t really been drinking. It had taken Raditz over an hour to force Peppan to eat anything, but the longer they were there, the more they talked and the lighter they both felt. Peppan was able to stomach more food the longer they spent time in each other’s presence.

The two Saiyans spent time catching up, Raditz being the first to confide anything substantial. He owed it to Peppan after what he had put her through unknowingly all these years. Peppan listened and expressed her deepest sympathies over the tragedy that befell his mother. Peppan had only ever heard stories of Gine, but she knew the woman was a big part of Raditz’s life. As he spoke of what happened, Peppan placed her hand atop his and Raditz felt his heart thump in his chest. He felt content, lightly laughing at the feeling while mentally berating himself. If this was all he had to do to fix things between them, he should have done it a long time ago instead of wasting his time with flings and rubbing them in the woman’s face.

“So, how have you fared all this time?” he asked, making Peppan frown and pull away. He was afraid she was going to withdraw, but instead she hugged herself and looked away from him.

“After I quit purging, my mother threw me out of the house,” she stated. “I had nowhere to go, so I got a job at one of the bars. I stayed at one of the homeless shelters until I made enough money to get my own place.”

Raditz frowned at the thought of Peppan being alone all that time, having nowhere but a homeless shelter to go while she struggled. He had heard stories of the woman’s mother all along, never liking what he was told. It bothered him that that vile mother had forced her daughter into such a horrid field and then sent her away when Peppan could no longer take it. “If you struggled so much, why didn’t you come back to us?”

Peppan scoffed a laugh. “Yeah, that was an option,” she bit out before glaring at him. “You made it perfectly clear you wanted nothing to do with me after I quit. You don’t think I thought of you first? I couldn’t stop thinking about you since the day you walked out on me.”

Raditz sighed, unsurprised but not liking the snappish tone being directed at him. Still, he needed to make things right between them. “Peppan, I never let you explain, and that was wrong of me. You wanted to explain, but I let my anger get the better of me. Tell me now. Why did you quit the team, especially knowing you would have to deal with all this pain?”

“Purging was more painful than being homeless, honestly,” Peppan retorted before she sighed. “Raditz, I can’t…I can’t go back there. If I tell you…I can’t face it.”

“Hey,” Raditz softly chided, taking her hand. “I promise, this time I’ll listen. I’m not going to act like an ass again. If nothing else, we were friends once, right? You can confide in me. I won’t judge you.”

He could see Peppan was still skeptical, but he could see in her eyes the moment that she surrendered. Her voice wavered as she spoke, still unsure of whether or not she could trust him not to hurt her. He had been the cause of a great deal of her pain. “It was after that mission…where all the people in the lines…” Raditz shivered, but nodded for her to continue. “Raditz, it was so horrifying. I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat. I felt so anxious and sick, especially after we…I didn’t know what to do. I thought about asking you over because your presence always helped me sleep, but I didn’t want my mother to give me hell.”

“You could have come to my place,” Raditz murmured. “My family would have accepted you with open arms.”

“Did I deserve to be accepted, after all I had done to those women and children?” Peppan countered. “I was sick, Raditz. And one day, I felt such immense pain that I needed to go to the emergency clinic in the slum area. I was bleeding. I had no idea what was going on, only remembering being drugged. When I awoke, the Saiyan who had found me outside the clinic screaming told me that…that I had been pregnant…”

Raditz’s eyes widened in shock, because he knew the implications of Peppan’s words. “You…”

“I hadn’t known I was pregnant, and that part of the sickness I had was due to a baby being inside of me,” she continued, her voice wavering as tears appeared in her eyes. “By not eating, I had been causing harm to myself and the baby and I didn’t even realize. To be honest, I thought that maybe it was my punishment for killing all those children, that mine was taken away because of the pain I had caused them all.”

“Peppan…” Raditz breathed out, “you can’t think like that. We all did things we weren’t proud of. It doesn’t mean that you deserved to go through all of that, especially alone. This…this had all happened before you had me meet you?”

The woman nodded. “Raditz, I wanted to tell you, but…”

But he had been an asshole, unwilling to hear what she had to say. Ashamed, Raditz looked down at his clenched fists. He still couldn’t believe it. He could have been a father. After his and Peppan’s night, he had been avoiding her as well, unsure of how to proceed in their relationship. He had no idea they had mated, nor had he been attuned to her emotions. He had no idea how much she had been suffering while he waited to make a move. “I’m sorry…”

“W-What?” Peppan uttered out, wiping away her tears.

“I should have been there for you instead of throwing a tantrum,” Raditz clarified. “I can’t imagine how alone you must have felt because of me…because of your mother.” His rejection, though, probably hurt much deeper than her mother’s. Raditz stood up, concerning Peppan, especially as he wrapped his arms around her. She tensed in his grip, so unlike the woman he remembered. It dismayed him, but he could only do what he could. He had tortured her for years, but now he needed to remind her that he was there for her. Gently, he stroked her face before leaning down and kissing her.

Peppan’s body did not relax, but Raditz refused to pull away. He felt something in the kiss, something he hadn’t felt since that night, and he was not about to let it go. Eventually, he felt Peppan shyly push back, kissing him timidly. Mentally, he declared it a small victory. Maybe this was the stepping stone to getting his mate back, to deepening their connection so that she would realize what was going on between them. He wanted her to come back to him. “I promise, Peppan, that I’ll protect you from now on,” Raditz whispered in the female Saiyan’s ear.

Peppan jolted, pushing away from him and searching his eyes questioningly. There was no way that this was happening now, was there? She expected Raditz to leave her, to be angrier at her for losing their child, but instead he was offering her comfort. Part of her believed it to be a trick. Maybe Raditz was planning on betraying her, allowing himself to get closer to her only to rip the rug out from under her later.

She didn’t care. Being with him, even in a platonic sense, was already doing her some good. Peppan decided to give in to her desire, to accept the comfort Raditz was offering, even if it was only temporary. Even if Raditz were to cause her pain in the future, she decided to be selfish and enjoy the feeling of being in his arms. For a moment, she even let herself feel like it was right where she needed to be.

* * *

The next day brought upon more festivities as the preliminary rounds of the tournament took place. Bulma was able to freely walk around the square with her mate to observe the many different fighters from their allied planets as well as the Planet Trade. Even their own warriors were able to display their abilities, many making it to the later rounds of the preliminaries. “The prince is doing really well,” Nappa said, joining the two royals.

His words drew both the king’s and queen’s attention to their son. Prince Goku was in the midst of battle with a large, humanoid alien with purple skin and short, dark hair. His opponent was wearing the PTO armor signifying who he was fighting for. Bulma’s heart nearly stopped beating. She refrained from gasping, but Vegeta could tell exactly where her mind was. Still, to appear indifferent, he offered her a consolation. “He is. That isn’t a surprise. He is _my_ son, after all.”

Nappa nodded and went back to watching the fight. He could see Frieza not far from these makeshift rings. His eyes were on the young prince as well, and he was definitely amused. Knowing the Arcosian, he probably thought his soldier could take on the half-Saiyan child. As time passed by, the tables had turned and Prince Goku had been the one to take the fight. It was an amazing feat for a child so young to defeat a Planet Trade soldier. The Arcosian tyrant was not happy.

Bulma breathed out in relief, thankful that her son had been victorious. He had easily avoided his opponent’s moves with his speed, using the alien’s own strength and abilities against him, and then knocking him unconscious so that he could no longer fight. Her son was tactical, no doubt having been taught to fight that way by Vegeta. The woman looked up to her mate with adoration in her eyes but a frown on her face.

Vegeta released a frustrated sigh. “What, woman?” he demanded though in their minds he was not agitated in the slightest.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “For training them both to protect themselves.”

“As their father, it is my duty,” Vegeta replied curtly. “There is no reason to thank me. Now enough with the sentimental rubbish.”

He truly was warning her. Vegeta knew his mate, and she was an emotional creature. If Frieza saw any inkling of a spark between them, he’d use it. They still had no idea what his plans were, what he’d do if his men lost the fights. He already looked angry just from the damage a child did to one of his subordinates. Of course, by his son’s victory, he had just cleared the bracket and would be moving farther into the tournament. That was both a positive and negative all wrapped together, especially when…

Loud cheers were heard from some of Frieza’s rowdier crew over where that bastard, Zarbon, was currently fighting. He had been fighting one of their allies, the victim injured to the point where Bardock had needed to get involved. The Saiyan physician and Zarbon met eyes, Bardock looking incredibly angry while Zarbon just smirked before walking away. These people were vile. Vegeta needed to stop, though, because the second he pictured Bulma’s memory, his eyes narrowed at the soldier.

Around that time, Kakarot had finished off his bracket, wiping sweat from his brow. A lot of these fighters were impressive, but they were no match for him. He actually had to hold a lot of energy back to prevent himself from hurting any of his competitors. Some of them were PTO, but others were allies and friends. He had defeated a few Saiyans as well as some from Rescue Star.

“Heh, yeah-ah!” he heard a familiar voice cheer from the ring next to his. Kakarot smiled reticently when he saw Hercule, the father of Gohan’s friend, raising his arms above his head in victory. He held nothing against the man, and he was plenty strong for someone of Rescue Star, but he was also a self-satisfying man who liked to hear himself talk. Even Kakarot had had to deal with the man’s constant bragging, chasing off others who tried to make attempts on him on other planets. It didn’t seem like they appreciated being talked down to. Hercule probably didn’t realize he was always enticing challenges. At this tournament, he’d have to be careful, and hopefully he wouldn’t end up fighting any of Frieza’s men.

A few moments later, Raditz had clinched his own victory across from where Kakarot was. Kakarot watched as he walked off, not allowing the commentator to commend him. His younger brother wondered where he was running off to, but then he saw Raditz go directly to the area where Peppan was fighting. His brother was watching her, his eyes studying. There was a hint of concern in them. Kakarot decided to head over and join Raditz, and he immediately noticed what had his brother so wary.

Peppan was panting hard, her breaths uneven as she fought to keep up with her opponent. It was the last match in her bracket, and she was refusing to give in. Still, her energy was becoming erratic, and it was worrisome. Kakarot was about to speak, but in that moment Peppan managed to outdo her opponent and achieve victory. While others cheered, she nearly stumbled, and that was when Raditz walked into the ring to balance her. Peppan was shocked by Raditz’s public display. Even Kakarot looked stunned.

His attention was dragged elsewhere as he heard horrified hecklings towards another victor. Kakarot looked over, as did Peppan and Raditz. One of Frieza’s men, someone registered as Brenten, had taken the bracket by storm. He didn’t even look tired. The alien simply crossed his arms and walked off the stage while others hissed at him. Brenten did not look affected. What had happened over there?

“Dad said he put his opponents into comas,” Turles said, walking up to the two. “I saw his attack only once. He put a lot of energy into it.”

“But it’s only the preliminary round,” Kakarot said, aghast. “I figured no one would show their moves so soon. People can learn to avoid them.”

“Not this one,” Turles informed. “He called it the Exploding Pariah. You can avoid the ki ball, but it explodes no matter what it touches. The damage from it cannot be avoided. I heard a PTO soldier say, ‘Yeah, that’s our one-hit killer.’ He never misses. Let’s pray none of us have to fight him.”

“No, let’s pray that we do,” Raditz countered. “Not many can handle someone like him. Us Saiyans are the best bet. I take it you both made it to the tournament rounds.”

Kakarot nodded. “Yeah, just finished.”

Turles scoffed. “I finished a while ago and have been checking out the competition. So far, a couple other Saiyans have made it.”

“Who else?” Peppan asked.

Turles nearly jumped at the sound of Peppan’s voice. He hadn’t been paying complete attention to his brother and didn’t even realize that she was among them. His brow furrowed in confusion as he looked to Raditz. His older brother simply glared, silently demanding he say nothing. “Kane for one, and also former guard Onoir. Rhudaba is doing fine as well, and then Prince Goku and the child he was training with have also managed to defeat their bracket.”

“Two children made it?” Raditz said, surprised. Truthfully, he wasn’t surprised by either Goku’s or Tomala’s strength, but he figured that their tactics would be nowhere near the level of trained adults. He smirked. If they had both power and tactics, they’d have an even better shot against Frieza’s men.

Something caught his attention, someone staring at him in the crowd. Raditz looked up and saw that fighter Turles was speaking of, Brenten, staring directly at him. His eyes narrowed, his expression appearing bored, but something about the way Brenten was looking at him cut through his soul. Eventually, the PTO soldier looked away and continued walking towards the bracket where another child had just won. Raditz thought that the soldier’s behavior was strange, but he pushed that thought away as his attention returned to his mate. “You doing okay?”

Peppan shakily laughed, but stood up straight and appeared unharmed. “Yeah, fine. It was quite the workout. It’s been a while since I fought like this.”

“I’d hate to say this, but maybe you should withdraw,” Raditz suggested.

He noticed the hurt flash over Peppan’s eyes. “W-Why?” she stammered indignantly. “You don’t think I can handle it?”

“I didn’t say that,” Raditz retorted. “Peppan, you look wasted, like you used a ton of your energy just to get through the preliminary round. I don’t want you to overdo it.”

Peppan glared at Raditz, her hands on her hips. “It’s my choice, Raditz. Besides, what do you care? You only just started talking to me again as of yesterday. You don’t get a say in what I do.”

“Peppan,” Raditz breathed out feeling shocked. He felt a pang in the back of his mind, feeling something akin to that rejection he convinced himself to feel but much worse. He wondered if this was the level of rejection and hurt Peppan felt over these years. His expression relaxed, and he placed his hands on her shoulders. “Look, I think you can handle it. You’re strong and determined. But I also think that you need to consider that this might be too much for you. I don’t want to see you hurt again. It’s bad enough I hurt you. Just think about it, okay?”

Peppan was surprised that Raditz had not only praised her but took responsibility for the hurt she had felt before. It amazed her, but it also made her feel wary. Raditz could be playing her, and what was worse was that she had told him about their child. It was possible he would damage her again, beyond repair. Perhaps, it would be his revenge.

Raditz could tell her train of thought, somehow. That had to mean that a bond was there. He felt guilty and angry that Peppan actually thought so low of him. “It won’t happen again,” he voiced jolting Peppan out of her doubt. She looked at him, shaken. It had been like he read her mind, but Peppan didn’t think that possible. It didn’t even occur to her that they could be bound to one another.

“Well, looks like the debutante twins are going to the tournament,” Turles scoffed, once again earning attention.

Raditz and Kakarot both looked away to see that both Tri and Sri, the Swaron princes, had taken their brackets by storm as well. The Swarons had been trying to get Vegeta and Bulma to agree to marry off a daughter they didn’t have yet with one of their sons, much like the Needellens had. They didn’t know much about the Swarons, but they were much laxer than the Needellens. Still, the princes were arrogant pretty boys. Their skills were fine, but they were nothing compared to other races. Their race thrived in strategy. “I guess both King Pri and the Needellen king wanted to show off their sons to the royal family,” Kakarot stated feeling slightly miffed.

This tournament was just a basin of drama, wasn’t it? While the Saiyans were worried about the PTO and the PTO was trying to screw the Saiyans, two of the Saiyan allies were vying for Vegeta’s favor. At least many of their people had made it to the tournament, and they were all excellent fighters. Somehow, they would stop Frieza. He wouldn’t get his hands on Bulma’s family’s inventions. He didn’t deserve it after what he had done to Bulma’s planet and people.

Meanwhile, the last few competitors were finishing up their fights, both Needellen princes also making it to the end. The Needellen royals stared down the Swarons and vice versa. The three brothers deadpanned. Could they make it any more obvious, what they were after?

It was the end of the preliminaries, and former general, Nappa, took it upon himself to read off the results. Kakarot wondered why Vegeta was not and then looked around to see that Bulma and his friend were not around. He hoped Frieza didn’t get suspicious, especially when he heard Vegeta’s thoughts to him. _Bulma was feeling ill, so we excused ourselves. We told Nappa to read off the names of the competitors, but also to say we received a call from an ally that chose not to attend the tournament._

 _Is Bulma all right?_ Kakarot questioned. He received an affirmative mental grunt before the connection severed.

Kakarot had to wonder when he and Vegeta had been able to share thoughts. After they had become Super Saiyans, mental communication between them took off. Kakarot wondered if it was a secret power that only those who went Super could achieve. It didn’t matter. At least his unasked question was answered.

“King Vegeta and Queen Bulma needed to attend to a call from an ally that did not come to participate, so they have asked me to read off the list of competitors,” Nappa said, his hardened eyes meeting Frieza’s. The Arcosian tyrant smirked, his amusement clear as if he could see right through the lie. “We saw a lot of great fights today, some being downright impressive. You can be sure that this tournament is about to heat up. Twenty-four competitors will be competing tomorrow. Lots will be drawn then. For now, let me read off the names of those who have advanced.

“From Planet Vegeta, Tomala. Also from Planet Vegeta, Prince Goku. From the Planet Trade, Coo…i?”

“It’s pronounced Cui!” Nappa heard over the crowd inciting a chuckle.

“Right, Cui, my mistake,” he amended with a snicker. “From Swar, both Prince Sri and Prince Tri have advanced. From Planet Vegeta, Kakarot, Turles, and Raditz have all gone on to the next round, as well as Peppan, Gohan, Onoir, Rhudaba, and Kane.”

Kakarot was surprised that even his son had made it in the lineup. He hadn’t even realized that Gohan was competing. He found him in the crowd, Gohan blushing slightly as Videl elbowed him, probably congratulating the half-Saiyan on his victory. Kakarot grinned. That was yet another man on their side. He’d have to congratulate his son for getting through the preliminary round.

Frieza frowned when he heard even more of the Saiyans names being read. It seemed like not many of his men had made it to the tournament at all, though he hadn’t been watching everyone’s fights. His skepticism was replaced with glee when he heard. “From the PTO, soldiers Brenten, Dodoria, Zarbon, Prada, Tamē, and Sintia have also made it through.”

Brenten was shocked to hear his little sister’s name even though he had seen her victory. He couldn’t believe that the child was already experiencing combat. He had not wanted this for her, but Frieza didn’t care. He wanted Sintia’s power and that was all. Brenten feared for his little sister’s life should she fail in any battle. The terror he felt in his heart was almost too much to bear.

“From Rescue Star, both Hercule and Videl have made it to the tournament round. And finally, from Planet Needell, Prince Inone, Prince Zolid…and…” Nappa stopped reading because he was certain there had been a mistake when he read the next name. He honestly feared reading the competitor’s name out loud for her own safety, but he could not withhold the information. Clearly, she knew what she was doing if she had entered the tournament. “And Princess Thia, have all advanced to the next round.”

Both Needellen princes as well as their father were enraged when they heard the little girl’s name being called. Thia was hiding off to the side somewhere, knowing that when her name was read she’d be in big trouble. When they had arrived on the planet, Thia had snuck away from her mother and entered her name, quickly returning before the woman had even realized she was missing. Unbeknownst to anyone in her family, Thia knew how to fight. She had watched her brothers practicing for years and when it was night and she was alone, she would go to the courtyard and train herself.

She had desperately wanted to enter the tournament way before ever meeting Prince Trunks and ending up betrothed to him. Thia knew that if she could win, she could ask to remain on Planet Vegeta and they would have to allow it. It wouldn’t be seen as treason on the Saiyans’ part, but definitely treason on her part. All that could happen was that her family would never want anything to do with her again, and she was perfectly fine with that arrangement.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Thia jumped having been found, but relaxed when Trunks crawled up next to her. Their shoulders touched, and Thia blushed. Trunks was clearly unbothered by the contact. She wondered what it was like inside his mind, not having to deal with the constraints of her people’s laws, to be free to move, say, and do whatever he wanted. “You should be out there.”

“My father may kill me the next time he sees me,” Thia said forlornly. “I went against our laws entering the tournament.”

Trunks frowned at that and sighed. “Look, he can’t hurt you. It doesn’t matter what your laws are. You’re on Planet Vegeta right now, and you’re a competitor in the tournament. I’m sure my dad can talk down the king. If he or your brothers try to hurt you, dad can disqualify their whole planet if he wanted.”

“Prince Trunks…”

“Eh, what did I say about that?” Trunks scolded lightly while grinning at the princess. “It’s just Trunks. You’re my betrothed now, so you don’t have to be so formal. We’re friends.”

“Friends?” Thia tested the word. “I…I know how that word translates in my culture, but I don’t think it means the same thing.”

“Oh, what does it mean in your culture?” Trunks prodded.

“Friends means amia which I thought translates to colleague in yours,” she explained. “They are very diplomatic partners, but no woman is permitted to have amias.”

“That sounds like hell,” Trunks scoffed. “So women in your culture are just expected to exist and be alone until they’re mated and then even then, they still aren’t allowed to do or say anything.”

“Basically,” Thia confided. “What I’m doing with you now is technically not allowed either, discussing this sort of thing.”

“Well, screw what’s allowed,” Trunks countered. “I think it was very brave of you to enter the tournament, and you must be an amazing fighter to make it through the preliminary round. I’ll be rooting for you tomorrow.”

Thia smiled at the lavender-haired prince, her friend and betrothed. “Thank you, Trunks.”

Trunks grinned right back before he grew serious. “Now, we need to keep you away from your father and brothers. I think my dad would be okay if you stayed in a room in the wing where my brother and I stay. Tomala has been staying with us there for training. You could probably room with her if you don’t want to room alone.”

“Really?” Thia questioned.

“Yeah, let’s go find my parents. They’ll know what to do.”

Trunks took Thia’s hand, once again making the child blush. She tried to remember that Trunks only saw this contact as something completely platonic. They were only children, and he was attempting to prevent them from being separated. She smiled. It was kind of nice to have a friend that was oblivious to her world’s strange teachings. At least soon, she hoped, she would be free of them.


	29. Part II: Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters. Just OCs and made up races I came up with.

“So, tell me I was amazing,” Tomala ordered jokingly with the prince as the two of them walked the palace grounds.

Little Vegeta smirked viciously. “Now why would I do that?”

Tomala pouted in response. “Because I was. I’d have to be to make it to the next round, after all.”

“Maybe I’d consider it,” Vegeta replied, “if you said it first.”

Her eyes narrowed, but then she grinned. “I already did. I _am_ amazing.”

The prince chuckled and crossed his arms. “Touché.”

Confused, Tomala asked. “What does that mean?”

It was once again that Little Vegeta was reminded of his parents’ differences. That word had been something he heard his mother say often when his father had outwitted her. “It’s an Earthling term,” he explained. “It means clever, I think. It’s an acknowledgement.”

Tomala smirked again in victory. “Well, thank you for accepting that, prince. Now, I said it, so…”

“Fine, fine,” Vegeta hissed before sighing. “You were amazing. As was I. That’s to be expected, though. You were training with me, so it makes sense.”

“You can’t give an actual compliment, can you?” Tomala questioned, rolling her eyes. “You’re such an ass.”

Vegeta’s lips quirked upwards. “Careful. Slander against the crown is a punishable offense.”

“Oh shut up,” Tomala retorted. “I’ve called you worse.”

“Yeah, I know. Your mouth is worse than my father’s,” Vegeta teased. “Not very becoming of a lady.”

She would have been insulted if she didn’t know the prince, the one who everyone called Goku when he preferred to be called by his middle name, Vegeta. The two of them were close, and these bantering sessions were their thing. The only thing that irritated her was when she lost their verbal spars. She was dangerously close to another loss, but something came to mind and she smiled maliciously. “Yeah, well, you were the one who asked this ‘lady’ to dance, so clearly you don’t really feel that way.”

Little Vegeta became flustered turning red while trying to hide it. It didn’t help that Tomala was grinning as if she had won. That only served to incite his rage. “Yeah, well,” he huffed looking away from her, “it is expected of me to participate in palace functions. No matter how much I hate it, I have to play my part. You just happen to be the only female I can tolerate.”

Tomala’s expression softened as she took in the prince’s tense features. She was actually surprised that he admitted that to her, and to be honest she felt the same way. Of course, she wouldn’t tell him that. She couldn’t tell him that she admired him and had a crush on him. Instead, she offered a better solution. “See? You can give a compliment. Thanks, Vegeta.”

His head snapped to look at her, clearly surprised that she used his middle name. It was a pet peeve of his that he had expressed to her by accident one day, and she hadn’t really expressed if she had been listening during his rant. Now, he knew she had been, yet he was still stunned by it. His expression became more guarded, though his eyes softened. He looked down to the ground in front of him, and the only indication that he had accepted what she had said was a soft, “Hn,” as they continued their walk in companionable silence.

* * *

Bulma was still feeling completely awful. She didn’t remember being sick this much even with Trunks and Goku, so it took her by surprise. Thankfully, she had Vegeta by her side. At least in their room they were safe from Frieza’s and Zarbon’s scrutiny. Bulma didn’t know what either of those monsters would do if they found her to be pregnant.

Nappa had come to explain what had happened when he read the round’s victors, and both royals were stunned about Thia. Their eyes both revealed concern for they knew that planet’s laws well. It was why Vegeta refused to marry off his nonexistent daughter. He would never put her in a place where a woman, child or otherwise, could be killed for speaking their mind or fighting, where it was considered treason.

“Tell me how you wish to handle it,” Nappa offered. “I doubt anyone wants the princess to die.”

“No,” Vegeta agreed. “That is not desirable. I need to think for a moment.”

But Vegeta didn’t get a moment. Instead, Trunks barged into his room with Thia and closed the door behind them hard leaning back on it as the two children sighed and panted for air, Trunks not letting go of Thia’s hand. Trunks regained his composure and looked to his parents and Nappa who were all looking at the two of them warily and in question. “Uh, we need some help.”

“We just heard,” Vegeta replied. “Come and talk. We’ll figure this out.”

Trunks tugged on Thia’s hand to bring her over to them, but the girl was so nervous, she shook her head. Bulma smiled sadly and went over to the two children kneeling down in front of them so that she was at Thia’s eye level. “Don’t worry, princess. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

Thia seemed to relax, but tensed as Bulma pulled her into her arms. Any contact, even between a mother and daughter was forbidden on her world, save washing and dressing or caring for the child when they were ill. This was unexpected, but that fact that the Saiyan queen was offering this contact showed her once again that they did not abide by their laws, and so she finally relaxed.

Bulma brought the children to hers and Vegeta’s bed. “Congratulations on getting through the first round, Thia,” Vegeta expressed. “You must be very proud.”

“Terrified is more what I’m feeling now, Your Majesty,” Thia expressed forlornly. “I only entered because I am hoping to reside here after the tournament as my request. I don’t want to go back there.”

“You don’t have to go back, even if you don’t win,” Bulma explained. “You and Trunks are betrothed, now. We can petition your parents to allow you to stay here with us.”

“They won’t allow it,” Thia argued. “Now that I’ve done this, they will want to kill me. What I did was treason.”

“Not on Planet Vegeta,” the king declared. “While you remain on our soil, you are safe. I will handle your father, but I need to know what you are willing to do so that I can negotiate.”

“I don’t ever want to go back to my planet,” Thia admitted.

Vegeta nodded. “As we said, that we can negotiate, but what I am asking is are you willing to not interact with those in your family again? They will remain on the planet for the tournament, and I need to know if I need you to be guarded, or if I can state that if they come near you it will be seen as a declaration of war.”

“War, dad?” Trunks questioned. “Isn’t that a little harsh?”

“When treason is involved, things always get messy,” Vegeta interjected looking to Bulma. “We know that better than anyone.”

Bulma nodded remembering how intense dealing with Vegeta’s father had been. Technically, the whole race committed treason, them especially, but it was still a chaotic sequence that would forever leave its imprint on their hearts and minds. “I…I wish I could talk with my mother,” Thia stated, “but she would never understand, and she would go to my father and request permission to speak to him.”

“Seriously?” Trunks deadpanned. “Welp, talking to them is out.”

“So…?” Vegeta pressed lightly.

Thia nodded. “You can say whatever you want. I don’t want to be near them. If my brothers see me at the tournament, if they can’t kill me, they’ll still ridicule me. But, that I can handle. That’s been my life. I don’t think I need to be guarded, even if they did approach me as long as you told him it would be an act of war if I were harmed. Despite what my father might say, the reason he has been so demanding of a union between the planets is because he knows he needs the Saiyans in his alliance.”

Vegeta could use that, definitely. He was surprised that Thia was so forthcoming with this information, but then he thought of Thia’s motive. She wanted freedom from her tyrannical king, similar to how he was with his own father. Vegeta was willing to do anything back then, make alliances with anyone if he could. Of course, Bulma had been the only one at the beginning for he feared for his mother’s and brother’s lives. Thia just needed to worry about getting herself out of the situation.

“Why?” Thia questioned meekly. “Why are you helping me?”

Both Bulma’s and Vegeta’s calm façades fell, Vegeta this time kneeling down in front of her. “Because the reason we refused to promise a daughter to them is the reason you seek freedom. We would never want our own child to go through it. No child should, understand?” Thia looked uncertain but she nodded. “Go towards the princes’ wing. Tomala is rooming there, so you can stay with her. Trunks, tell Tomala and your brother your goal is to protect Thia. I’ll have a guard sent there just in case as well. I need to go and speak with the king.”

“Alright,” Trunks agreed, his voice soft before he looked to Thia and smiled. “See? I told you they’d help. Let’s go.”

“Okay,” Thia whispered. “Thank you, all of you.”

The two children left the three adults alone. Once they were gone, Vegeta breathed out in frustration before his stoic demeanor returned. “Nappa,” he stated firmly, “go and find Zorn since he isn’t competing and station him at the princes’ wing. Then find the Needellen king and send him to my office. We need to discuss the princess.”

“Right,” Nappa agreed. “Anything else?”

“Have Kakarot come to this room,” Vegeta added. “I’m not leaving Bulma alone.”

“Vegeta,” Bulma breathed out nervously. “Kakarot _will_ be competing. I’ll be fine for a little while. Earlier, sending him with me was different. Everyone was moving around the palace then. If Frieza catches wind of us keeping me guarded whenever you aren’t with me, when everyone is supposedly asleep, he'll know I told you. He’ll figure out that we’re bonded.” Vegeta just stared at her saying nothing. “You know I’m right.”

“Unfortunately,” the Saiyan remarked. “You’re certain you’ll be all right?”

“I will,” Bulma assured. “They won’t do anything to me at this point, not when the tournament just started.”

“She’s right, Vegeta,” Nappa declared. “Don’t worry, though. I’ll return here after I speak with the Needellen king.”

Vegeta nodded before looking into Bulma’s eyes taking her hand. “I’ll be back. Get some rest.” Bulma answered him with a nod and a loving smile before Vegeta took his leave from their room. However reluctant he was to leave her side, protecting Thia from her culture was just as important. He had seen the fear in Trunks’s eyes when they first entered the room. However young, he cared for the girl even as his friend. He would not fail his child, not this way, not to the princess’s seemingly tyrannical father.

He would make up for what his father forced upon him and Bulma, even if the situations starkly contrasted.

* * *

“Absolutely not!”

The Needellen king slammed down on the Saiyan’s desk, though Vegeta was unmoved. He simply crossed his arms and legs. “Your Majesty,” he spoke calmly, “it is not an outlandish request. We have already agreed that Princess Thia is to marry Prince Trunks when they both come of age. I understand your ire,” he lied on that last part. “I understand that you wish to charge her with treason, but she is on our soil and broke none of our laws. I will not allow you to execute my son’s intended, even if she is your own daughter.”

In response, the king huffed and glared at the Saiyan royal. How dare he involve himself in this political and familial matter? It mattered little to him that his daughter was betrothed the Prince Trunks. He didn’t care if it was socially acceptable for Thia to enter their tournament. It was all as infuriating as it was straightforward.

Thia broke the laws of her own people.

His daughter committed treason, plain and simple, and normally her offense would be punishable by death. “You have no right to give your input. I don’t care about our agreement. We can renegotiate one of my son’s betrothal to the future princess. If I let her live after she spit on her laws, then my leadership will be called into question and the people will doubt me. Even if I were to banish her here as you suggested, it would be seen as favoritism.”

Vegeta’s expression darkened. “You will leave her be,” the king stressed. “If not, if she is harmed, it will be seen as a declaration of war. If you allow the princess to fight in the tournament, which will grant her favor among our people, her future people, our alliance will remain intact. I do not wish to go to war, nor will I be willing to marry a daughter off to your sons. This is the deal. Take it or leave it.”

The visiting king was torn. He was feeling a deep rage and humiliation at Vegeta’s words. How could this ally of his demand him to give up his culture regarding his only daughter? It was becoming clear that he was wrong in forming an alliance thinking that the Saiyans would respect his culture, though at the time he appealed to the Saiyans, his planet was in desperate straight and needed the strength of the Saiyans to back him up in their own war. Neither race had known much about the other back then. King Vegeta simply aided him because his people were able.

As time went on, the kings learned about each other’s cultures. The Needellen king was as disgusted with the Saiyan culture as King Vegeta was with his, but the king had hoped that their alliance was strong enough that King Vegeta would be willing to let one of his son’s rule alongside the Saiyan princess one day if it ever came down to it. Females were worthless in the Needellen race, so the king never thought to offer Thia up until the matter of her tainting happened. It looked like the Saiyans were having more of an effect on her than the king cared to admit or accept.

Now, she had gone against him, her own father, to rebel, and the Saiyans were allowing it. Not only that, but King Vegeta was actually fighting for the girl to continue to revolt against her people. It was disturbing, and the king did not want to agree to banishment.

Still, he needed the Saiyans. Without that alliance, their old enemies would come after them once again.

He released a heavy sigh. “As reluctant as I am to agree to your terms,” he grunted irritably, “I still respect, honor, and treasure our alliance. For this reason, and this reason only, I will allow Thia to enter the tournament, and with our people I will defend the action to explain her gaining respect and favor among the Saiyans; however, she will be banished to the planet and never allow to set foot on our world again, and we will not see her if we return to negotiate or visit. She will be completely ostracized from us for going behind our backs and knowingly breaking our tradition.”

“This is acceptable,” Vegeta acknowledged. “Now, we should both retire. We both have sons participating in tomorrow’s round and should be well rested.”

“I agree, King Vegeta,” the Needellen responded before he turned away and left the king in his office and closed the door.

Vegeta leaned back in his chair and inhaled deeply. At least that was one matter dealt with during this whole damned tournament. The king still couldn’t believe the Needellen’s adamant protests. He understood the race had a very old view that the Saiyans had never themselves abided by, but was it really worth the life of a daughter? Vegeta did not yet have a daughter, though he knew he would protect his own daughter’s honor and life. Certainly, Thia doing the “dishonorable” thing, according to her people, couldn’t result in death.

Well, if her father wouldn’t yield, then Vegeta was relieved he took matters into his own hands. After dealing with his own father, fearing for the lives of everyone he cared about, he couldn’t watch any other go through the same, especially not his son and not Bulma who had already taken a liking to the princess from a few mere moments.

He decided it was time to return to his quarters so that he too could get some rest for the next day’s festivities. It seemed like they had a good number of Saiyans competing, but Frieza had plenty of men fighting himself. Vegeta let his mind run through the Saiyans who moved on, and his thoughts landed on his own son. He couldn’t believe Goku had become so strong that he could already best some of Frieza’s men let alone get to the actual tournament portion of the competition.

Vegeta was proud of his son, both of them. He couldn’t ask for better boys, so thoughtful yet incredibly strong. Where Trunks took more after Bulma and Goku took more after him, the twins inherited both his and Bulma’s best qualities. He was incredibly thankful for that.

As he walked through the halls, something felt off…ominous. Vegeta quickly turned around to see a dark, empty hall. He still was not convinced that no one had been there, but the evil energy was gone now. He scoffed before he crossed his arms and began his trek to his and Bulma’s wing.

Unbeknownst to him, Frieza revealed himself in the cover of night. He had been wandering the halls learning the layout of the palace when he overheard Vegeta’s guard, the former queen’s consort, delivering a message to the Needellen king. Everyone knew the race’s outdated culture, and so when Princess Thia’s name was read it caused quite the commotion. Frieza knew that the matter to be discussed was related to the princess. To hear how vehemently Vegeta fought for this little girl amused Frieza immensely, and now he had learned of a strange hidden weakness.

Vegeta was a fair king, a _kind_ king. Vegeta didn’t want a war. Frieza did.

A horrid idea took root in the Arcosian’s mind as his sinister smirk glowed in the dark light from the outside world. _Things are about to get a lot more interesting._

* * *

The next day there was so much hustle and bustle, members of all races entering a stadium that had been built on Planet Vegeta long ago that was completely redone after the defeat of the former king. It was normally used for army training, so the Saiyans knew the ring well which would be a point in their advantage. Kalina watched as the people entered. Her sons had arrived earlier, Tarble going off to inspect the place. Vegeta had Bulma and Trunks sitting off the left of him, his mother sitting behind them. Unfortunately, because they had their esteemed guests with them, Frieza decided to sit beside the king. Bulma felt ill once more when he showed up and began talking pleasantries with her mate. Vegeta was able to keep calm, but Bulma could sense his anger through their connection. She caught the tail end of their conversation.

“I look forward to seeing what your men have to offer,” Frieza stated in an arrogant tone.

“As do I,” Vegeta remarked. He looked to his mother and waved his hand as a signal.

The former queen offered her son a reassuring smile. She knew how difficult this must be for him, knowing the atrocities Frieza and his men committed against his mate and his grandfather. She didn’t have time to linger on those thoughts as she stood up and addressed the people. “Welcome, everyone, to the first intergalactic tournament of our empire. These twenty-four competitors have worked very hard to make it to this first round and have carried the honor of their worlds with them. To begin, we will be having the competitors draw lots to see who will be fighting with who. So without further ado, let’s begin today’s round.”

As the former queen sat, there were cheers throughout the stadium. She looked at the empty seat beside her wondering where Tarble had wandered off. What she didn’t know was that her son had gone down to investigate the barracks of the stadium to make sure there was nothing disgraceful going on. He didn’t trust Frieza’s men not to screw around with someone before a fight.

“Well, hello there, prince.”

Tarble didn’t trust Frieza’s women, either.

The prince turned to face the woman he had spoken with the previous night, the one who had dangerously gotten close and had his heart racing in fear and distrust. His eyes narrowed at her as he took a step back. Immediately, he crossed his arms, and now he realized why Vegeta chose to do this often. He had felt too exposed to this untrustworthy enemy and crossing his arms made him feel safer in her presence. “Prada.”

The woman only laughed, tossing her long, muted crimson-colored hair. “Oh wow,” she teased. “I didn’t expect such a cold reaction after we had such a lovely talk.”

“If you want to call it that,” Tarble countered. “You should be inside. They’ll be drawing lots soon.”

“I know, but I was curious what the prince would be doing down here instead of sitting with his family,” Prada sang. “You wouldn’t, by any chance, be spying on the combatants, would you?” Tarble didn’t respond. “Of course, what reason would you have to, right?”

“I’m leaving,” Tarble grunted as he turned away from the woman. He froze instantly, when he felt the woman’s hands on his back.

Prada simply laughed as she traced her fingers on the prince’s shoulder blades. “You’re so tense, prince,” she said, her hands moving to his neck. Tarble’s heart was racing, though he couldn’t tell if it was fear or something else. He tried to be indifferent around this woman, and he was thankful she couldn’t see his face as he closed his eyes and cringed. What in the world was she doing to him? “Hah,” she lightly chuckled. “You know, I can feel your pulse, Prince Tarble. Right here.” She pressed lightly down on the point where her fingers had stopped, and Tarble felt a jolt go down his spine. “Such a strong beat. I can feel it. You’re attracted to me.”

“That’s absurd,” Tarble said, his voice deeper than even he had ever heard it. He attempted to pull away when he felt her hands rubbing the tail that had been wound tightly around his waist. “W-What are you-?”

“Sh,” she chided lightly before he felt her lips on his neck. “Just relax. It will be easier if you just accept it. I’m attracted to you, too. Whether or not you mentally choose to accept it, your body already has.”

Tarble wanted to know what she meant by that when he realized that his tail had acted on its own accord and was wrapped tightly around Prada’s arm. The woman looked positively amused, but Tarble felt his stomach lurch. He quickly forced his tail away and started to leave the barracks and return to his mother’s side. Prada’s laugh reached his ears and chilled his very core. He needed to get away from her. What had just happened was wrong. When a Saiyan’s tail acted on its own like that, it indicated that a Saiyan had found their mate, and Tarble was far from thrilled.

This woman was not someone he could trust. She worked for Frieza, the monster who had hurt his sister and grandfather. His men had committed such atrocities against the Saiyans, and Tarble could not stomach that. It’s why he felt so ill now, his heart racing for a different reason. His body’s reaction had actually scared him. He needed to get back to his family, away from this enchantress. She clearly knew what she was doing, and Tarble didn’t like that one bit. He would have to stay away from this woman. She was too unpredictable and hazardous to him and his people. He didn’t give a damn about what his instincts were telling him. He would not go near her ever again.

He had to promise himself that he wouldn’t.

Prada watched the prince’s abrupt departure with amusement dancing in her eyes. She hadn’t expected that to go so well. As per her orders from Frieza, she was to enchant the lesser prince to find out what the Saiyans knew about him. Of course, Tarble didn’t give her an answer when she made her fishing attempt. Instead, her flirtation had ensnared him, and to be honest that was better than she could have hoped for.

Despite her orders, she hadn’t been faking. There was something about the prince she liked, and so she decided to play with him a little bit. She had gotten under his skin for herself. It was not part of Frieza’s plan; however, it could be. Now that she had wormed her way into his mind, she could thoroughly undo him to find out all his secrets. It wouldn’t be the last time they interacted, she was certain.

“And now,” Nappa’s voice reached her, “it is time to begin the drawing of lots.”

* * *

“To make this tournament as fair as possible,” Nappa spoke, “we have decided that each day there will be a new drawing so that every competitor will not know who they are fighting until the day of the fight.”

All the competitors drew their slips of paper, and the order of the fights was decided. “For the first round of the tournament, the fights are as followed: Sintia versus Tomala, Prince Goku versus Turles, Dodoria versus Prince Tri, Videl versus Kane, Gohan versus Prince Zolid, Princess Thia versus Prada, Prince Inone versus Prince Sri, Cui versus Hercule, Raditz versus Breten, General Kakarot versus Onoir, Rudaba versus Zarbon, and finally Peppan versus Tamē.

“So, without further ado, I’d like to start this tournament. First match of the lineup, Sintia versus Tomala. Competitors, enter the ring.”


	30. Part II: Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ or the characters. Just OCs.

“So, without further ado, I’d like to start this tournament. First match of the lineup, Sintia versus Tomala. Competitors, enter the ring.”

Nappa walked out of the ring watching these two young girls enter the ring. On one side, there was Tomala, the Saiyan Prince Goku had taken a liking to and trained with before the start of the tournament. Unfortunately, on the other was a young child who worked for Frieza. She looked to be much younger than Tomala which disgusted the former general, but it also concerned him. This child had bested many competitors to get here. She would be no pushover. He could only wonder how the young Saiyan would fair. He hoped that this Sintia was not as vicious as the rest of Frieza’s men.

Tomala casually strode into the ring, mentally preparing for this battle. She hadn’t seen Sintia fight, so she knew it was best to study the other girl. To be honest, she probably had nothing on her. Her ki level was incredibly weak. It was amazing she had made it this far. They must have had some very weak competitors this year.

Up in the stands, Brenten watched his sister enter the ring, his expression horrified. He looked up where the royals were sitting and saw his smirking master. Back in the ring, Sintia walked in as if she was just going to train. She was excited about the fight, but probably because she thought she’d make a new friend. Frieza had played her, obviously, getting her to agree to this tournament. She wasn’t ready. And even if she was, her abilities wouldn’t get her through the tournament.

Sintia bowed to the Saiyan in front of her respectfully, smiling brightly. “Let us have a good fight,” her small voice spoke, disarming Tomala. She was not expecting a voice so young or a being so polite as her opponent, especially because she was working in the Planet Trade Organization.

“Uh…” Tomala murmured. “Y-Yeah. Let’s.”

At that word, Sintia speedily disappeared from view, and Tomala tried to hone in on her. At the last second, she found her before he ki disappeared and Tomala got the wind knocked out of her and felt as if something warm and comforting had been pushed into her body. Tomala fought to keep her eyes opened wondering why the hell she felt so tired. She was ready for a nap and felt her body being lulled. Her eyes widened.

Was her power to force people to fall asleep?

That was certainly strange, but it made sense how she was able to get this far. She was fast and slippery, and if that move hit someone they were down for the count.

But not her.

The fight had only just begun.

Tomala forced herself off of the ground, staggering back slightly as she tried to shake it off. Her eyes were tired, dark, and drooping, but she was going to outlast this ability. She wouldn’t be like the others. She would win the fight and not succumb to a cheap trick.

She launched into battle.

Sintia was shocked that her opponent had not gone down and instead charged after her. She had to phase out of the way quickly, practically disappearing again. Speed and her sleeping trick were not her only abilities, but she didn’t want to use any others. The young, former princess was not a fighter. She and her brother were plucked from their world before Frieza destroyed it, and she was raised with the army, but she was not built like a fighter. If this other fighter landed an attack, it could rip through her like paper.

Green eyes hesitantly landed on the Saiyan, and Tomala could see right through her. The fear Little Sintia felt caused the other fighter to smirk. Sintia had to fight back, but Tomala took her by surprise, flashing behind her. “Accel Shot!”

Sintia was pushed back by the blue-white wave that would definitely cause damage at such close range. It was scary, but she used her energy to form a weak shield as she was propelled to the floor of the ring, her muscles twitching causing her body to shake. Tomala touched down on the ground in front of her, arms crossed and standing proudly. “So, you really aren’t much, are you? You only use cheap tricks to down your opponent.”

“No,” Sintia admitted, running a hand through her medium-length brown hair. She looked into Tomala’s eyes, hers haunted, and Tomala nearly staggered back. “Please, just let it work. Don’t make me fight.”

Tomala was probably the only one who could hear that whisper. “What? Make you…?” And then it hit her. She worked for Frieza, and she was using one trick to fulfill her master’s wants. Did she even want to be here? “S-Sintia…”

But Sintia flashed out of view again, taking advantage of Tomala’s momentary distraction. She reappeared behind the Saiyan, the two exchanging blows, Tomala struggling to keep up with Sintia’s speed. This was more difficult than Tomala had expected, but she wasn’t done yet.

As Tomala attempted to attack her opponent, Sintia phased out of view quicker than lightening. The former princess then reappeared behind the Saiyan and struck her with a pink energy sphere to blast her away in an enormous explosion. There were thankfully shields around the stadium, as Bulma had prepared, protecting the onlookers from an attack; however, the biggest concern was for the two in the ring. Smoke began to clear, and Little Sintia was still standing, gasping for air. No, it was not from the strain. The child fell to her knees and started crying. Bulma watched her with sorrowful eyes. Frieza’s snickers alerted her, the human looking over to the monster. He looked incredibly pleased.

For only a second.

Tomala was still standing despite the damage she took from the attack. Her eyes widened in shock as they met Sintia’s tear-filled, horrified ones. “W-What…the heck was that?”

“Cosmic Illusion,” Sintia breathed out, her brow furrowing in fear. “No…that was supposed to work. I mean, I’m glad it didn’t, but…”

Tomala didn’t waste time. She couldn’t listen to this kid. She needed to take her out fast. First, though, she had to put some distance between her and Sintia. It wasn’t difficult for Sintia was having some sort of mental break in the middle of the ring. Tomala hated what she was about to do, but she had to get the other girl out of the ring. If she pulled back the power of her blasts, maybe she’d have a chance for a ring out.

The female Saiyan brought her arms to her sides, her ki charging up, before throwing her hands forward firing consecutive energy blasts as possible. She needed this to work, especially knowing it could drain her own ki level. It was effective for dealing damage and forcing one’s opponent back. Of course, she needed to save just a little bit of energy, but for right now Tomala was desperate.

Sintia was wilier than Tomala gave her credit. The girl managed to ascend and avoid most of the attack even in her miserable, wailing state. She cried as she moved to attack, ramming into Tomala at breakneck speed, knocking the Saiyan off her feet. In the fighter’s stands, Little Vegeta was watching with his arms crossed, his finger tapping in anticipation. _Come on, Tomala. Use it. You have to beat this girl._

Though Tomala could not hear her rival, her mind was on the same track. She took advantage to been forced back, getting ready to launch the attack the prince had taught her. She drew her hands back, curling her fingers as she placed both her hands towards her chest, both facing the same direction. Energy began to gather, and, quickly, Tomala thrusted both hands forward, her energy focused into a single, large, fuschia-colored beam. She could hear cries out in the stadium. It made sense. Tomala had just used a move specific to royal house, one that could be used to destroy planets if enough energy was put into it. That wasn’t her intention, though. Her aim was to force her opponent out of the ring.

She succeeded.

Tomala heaved a sigh of relief, falling to her knees against the tiled ring as Nappa announced her victory. She was breathing heavily, already having put so much energy into the tournament. She couldn’t believe how difficult this first fight had actually been. Her eyes shifted to her opponent, Sintia out of the ring and unconscious. Honestly, she was worried about the girl. There were still tear stains on her cheeks. She really hadn’t wanted to fight and use her abilities. This girl, who looked to be around her age, worked for Frieza. Tomala looked over to the royal seats and noticed the evil leader’s angered expression. By that point, though, her energy left her, and the effects of Sintia’s moves took hold. Tomala fell just as the medical team came to remove her and Sintia from the ring.

Brenten could not believe the direction the first match had taken. His sister usually could knock out any opponent, which was usually necessary for Frieza would have wanted her to use her deadlier attacks. This Saiyan child was lucky she was as strong and as skilled as she was or Sintia could have killed her. Though that would have disqualified his sister, that would have left one less Saiyan in the tournament. Frieza desperately wanted to have his fighters take out all of the Saiyans.

Seeing his sister unconscious brought Brenten back to reality, and he stood up, about to race after the medical team and sit at her side. He froze mid-run when he felt a familiar energy flare. He looked towards the stands, his silver eyes meeting Frieza’s. The tyrant was seething in anger, and his gaze struck Brenten to his core. He put his other foot down, his shoulders hunched as he accepted the unspoken command. He returned to his place on the bench, elbows against his legs as he buried his face in his hands as he prayed to the deity of his dead planet that Sintia would be all right and that Frieza would not kill her for her failure.

Tomala had sustained a ton of damage during that battle. She hadn’t felt it due to the rush of adrenaline, but at the battle’s completion she was down. A group of Saiyans came to take her away to the infirmary on a stretcher so that a team from Rescue Star could treat wounded competitors. Bardock was there beside her, asking questions, but she was too tired to answer. As they were exiting the stadium, Tomala was slightly surprised that Little Vegeta was standing by the exit. He looked completely stoic, but his tail was thrashing in agitation. Was he bothered by her state? She mentally scoffed. He was probably annoyed that she let herself get hurt this much.

“How could you let her hit you like that?” the prince demanded.

Tomala smiled. _Yeah, that seems about right._ Though, he didn’t sound irritated. He sounded…worried. He was attempting to hide it, so she too played it off. “Don’t worry about that. I’m fine. You better go win. I expect to fight you in the finals.”

Instead of smirking at her taunt, Vegeta’s expression went grim, but he nodded his agreement anyway. He intended to win his match. It didn’t sit well that this kid from Frieza’s team managed to do that much damage to the one who rivaled him in strength. He intended to take down the alien’s men, he didn’t care how. Something was going on, and his competitors seemed to have a very devious side to them. As the planet’s prince, he wouldn’t allow this trouble continue. It wasn’t just Tomala’s narrow victory, but the defeat and injuries sustained by some of the Saiyans and their allies during the preliminary fights.

The commotion from the previous battle had finally died down after the girls were taken from the stadium. Nappa looked to Vegeta, wondering if he should announce the next battle or not. The king appeared calm, but Nappa could tell by his eyes. Vegeta was just as surprised as the rest of them. It was a relief that Tomala had not been harmed terribly by Sintia. Sintia didn’t want to harm her opponent. That was something everyone could gather. Still, the fact of the matter stood. She was a child, and though she had been defeated, she had been defeated by one of the strongest energy attacks in his and his children’s arsenal. And she was a _child._ If this was how strong a child under the command of Frieza could be, Vegeta was loathe to see what a grown fighter could do, especially since his son could end up being the opponent. That is, if Prince Goku could beat Turles. As much as Vegeta took pride in his son’s strength, this was not a battle he wanted the boy to win.

“Now that the first battle has drawn to a close, I will introduce the next two competitors,” Nappa called out. “Second match, our own Turles versus Prince Goku. Fighters, enter the ring. You may begin when you’re ready.”

Turles had been lounging on the bench, his hands behind his head, but when Nappa called his name he sat forward. He wasn’t exactly looking forward to this fight for many reasons. One was that he didn’t want to pulverize the prince, and another was that he was concerned that he’d be the one pulverized. After watching the last battle, everyone probably had the same idea. This tournament was no place for children. They may have been unaware of the danger, but that battle alone set the scale of the tournament. It was life or death despite the no killing rule. Frieza just wanted Bulma and her invention. He didn’t care if subordinates were disqualified, as long as a Saiyan was taken down. If Turles didn’t know any better, he probably ordered the kid to do something self-destructive, but she never got the chance because of Tomala’s counter strike. All that training with Vegeta’s kid had paid off for her.

Prince Goku entered the ring, arms crossed as he waited for Turles to enter. Once the older fighter was in front of him, he bowed respectfully before getting into stance. His eyes told Turles what he already knew. The boy intended to win, and so he needed to go all out himself. If he held back against the kid, he would be in for a world of hurt. He refused to underestimate him.

Turles fell into his own stance, searching the prince for any opening. It was in that moment that Little Vegeta took advantage of his elder’s distraction, using his speed to confuse the man. He focused on moving fast, quicker than lightning, creating a series of afterimages that left Turles bewildered. It only took a minimal amount of energy, but it was such an efficient move for hiding in plain sight. The prince smirked when Turles stood there frozen, looking in many different directions. He circled the Saiyan to make the illusion all the more difficult to break.

Meanwhile, Turles was struggling to find an opening. He knew he was going to have to think of something fast before the prince got bored and attacked him. _This move is so juvenile,_ Turles thought, his teeth gritting, _but it’s effective. How am I supposed to find the kid? Even his energy is all over the place. I need to end this._

He figured the only way to dispel Goku’s afterimage was to hit him. Since he couldn’t figure out where the prince was, he shot an array of blue and purple ki blasts in all directions to knock the prince off balance. Little Vegeta saw it coming, momentarily pausing to push the energy away with a surprisingly strong kiai. As soon as Turles’s ki was dispersed, the prince resumed his running around the ring, afterimages being left in his wake.

The move was impressive, but it infuriated Turles. The prince was trying to play him for a fool and disorient him. Well, his refused to let this continue. He regrettably had to use the recent teachings of his twin to do so. He closed his eyes, clearing his mind, and he decided not to even bother sensing the prince’s energy. Instead, he focused on listening to the movement. In a strange form of meditation, Kakarot had taught him the art of listening to his surroundings and timing movements. When he did this, he was able to hear each second the prince’s footsteps echoed directly in front of him. Smirking, he held his index and middle finger together and shot out his finger beam. He heard the prince call out in surprise and then opened his eyes to charge in to attack.

Prince Goku was ready for him, the two exchanging blows at a fast speed. Turles was impressed by the prince’s speed and by his ability to deflect each hit with minimal effort. The exchange went on for a while before Little Vegeta opened his fist and send a purple ki sphere Turles’s way. The Saiyan backed up to avoid the close-range blast. “Meteor Flash!” the prince shouted alerting Turles to the attack. The prince began to fire a barrage of ki blasts rapidly at Turles. The fighter lifted his arms in front of him, defending against the barrage and the explosion that followed. As he was pushed back, all he could think was that the kid was relentless. The determined expression he wore before firing suited the young warrior. He was not going to let Turles win the fight.

* * *

Bulma was horrified seeing how fierce her son could be. It didn’t surprise her. He was Vegeta’s spitting image. Still, she did not want her child to defeat Turles. The older Saiyan was one of their soldiers, and he knew full well what this tournament was truly about. The queen did not want to burden her children with the truth. She knew that if the boys knew, both Trunks and Goku would be even more brutal. At least she knew that her son would not do any permanent damage to Turles. That was at least a relief to her racing heart.

_Are you all right?_

The queen did her best not to react to her husband’s mental communication. Still, his voice in her head made her jump. She kept her eyes on her son to keep up appearances as she communicated back to her mate in the privacy of their minds. _I’ve never seen him fight like that._

Mentally, Vegeta agreed. _Tomala’s battle got to him. It seems he has grown closer to the girl than I had anticipated. That was clear when she used the Galick Gun._

 _You aren’t mad that he taught her, are you?_ Bulma asked. She knew that Vegeta held that move in high regard. She had been nearby when he taught the move to their sons.

 _Of course not,_ he replied honestly. _She did it perfectly, meaning she was deserving. It does not change the fact that it is a move created by the royal family. My grandfather taught my father who then taught me, probably the only useful thing I learned from my father._

Bulma nodded slightly, but still kept her eyes on the boys. She did her best not to appear as if she was responding to her mate. This was another reason she did not like Frieza so close by. She was tense. _So, you think he took her defeat personally?_

 _I think our son is starting to realize that this tournament is more than just a friendly competition between worlds,_ Vegeta explained. _Frieza’s men have been brutal, and though the girl did not seem to want to fight, she could. Goku is suspicious._

 _We can’t let him find out,_ Bulma remarked. _If he does, then he’ll get angrier. I don’t want it to affect his fighting._

 _If he ends up fighting one of Frieza’s subordinates, we better pray he or she keeps their mouth shut,_ the king growled. _In any case, where I would love to see my son win, I hope Turles defeats him. That way, we won’t have to worry about that._

 _I guess we’re on the same page,_ Bulma thought feeling guilt. _It feels wrong to be rooting against our son._

 _Don’t worry, woman,_ Vegeta reassured. _We’re only hoping for what is best._

* * *

The battle continued below, Turles growing desperate to defeat the prince. He knew the way tyrants like Frieza operated. If it was their own former king, he would be intrigued by such power in a being so young. To be honest, the king had been wary of his own son’s power at birth. That was probably the reason he sought to find a device that limited energy output. Frieza was already interested in their queen. He didn’t need to be focused on the young prince. Goku needed to be taken out now.

Turles charged the prince, managing to knee the boy in the air. He flew up quickly and then struck the prince in the stomach, Goku coughing up blood as he was smashed down to the ring. And Turles didn’t stop there. He charged down at the prince, kneeing him in the stomach again, mentally praying that Vegeta wouldn’t have his head later for brutalizing his son. Goku cough again, his closed eyes opening just in time for a column of ki to descend down upon him. His eyes widened as the beam reflected in his eyes.

Energy exploded around the ring, those in the stands even feeling the impact. Vegeta’s muscles twitched as he moved to stand, but he fought those protective instincts down. Frieza couldn’t notice his concern. If he did, he had no doubt he’d go after the boy.

Though Turles had taken it up only just a notch, the fight became a bit more brutal than even the king was expecting. He could feel Bulma’s distress which amplified his own anxiety. He knew that his friend would not do irreparable harm to his son, but the attack had been overly combative. Goku had yet to emerge from the smoke.

Turles was breathing heavily, his heart racing and his mind full of worry. He hadn’t meant to release so much of his energy on the child, but it needed to be done. The prince was a lot stronger than he had anticipated. Even though he hadn’t truly underestimated the boy, there was no way to assume that he was already ready to battle elite soldiers for training. Is this why he and Tomala had gone off training on their own? Were they no longer being challenged by Kakarot’s course? It didn’t matter. It was over now. He hoped that the prince would forgive him for such an assault.

“Was that supposed to hurt me?” Little Vegeta questioned, relishing in the look of pure horror on his opponent’s face.

Turles shifted to fully face Vegeta, his eyes full of disbelief. “There’s just no way…” Turles remarked. “How…that was a direct hit?”

The prince crossed is arms and smirked. “Was it? It felt like no more than a dust storm. I phased out of the way at the last possible second. After all, it just adds to the drama.”

“Just adds to the…” Turles began before he snickered, his chin dropping slightly. “You really are your father’s son, kid. But this match is far from over.”

“You’re wrong,” the prince countered, dropping into stance. “I’m about to end this.”

“I’d like to see you try, boy,” Turles challenged, also falling into stance. If Goku said it, he knew it meant something. He needed to be ready.

This time, though, Goku flashed out of sight, taking flight into the air. From above, he readied himself. Turles didn’t notice where he went, and he no longer had the sounds of the boy’s steps to go by. With that advantage, Little Vegeta flew closer to Turles, crying out which made the adult look to him. That was the move that ended the match, Vegeta using the move he had perfected with his rival, his Rock, Scissors, and Paper attack. He delivered a strong punch to Turles’s gut, a poke to his eyes, and then struck the man with his open palm. Turles was sent hurtling to the ring, tiles crumbling beneath him upon the impact. The match was decided.

Turles’s defeat came as a shock to the Saiyans. They all knew their prince’s strength, but he went far beyond the skill of a child. Even Vegeta was astonished, but he managed to taper his reaction. Still, Bulma could feel it, and Frieza could see the shock plastered on her face. He smirked. It seemed the queen was very protective of her children, as most mothers were. He would keep that in mind. Whoever in his arsenal ended up fighting the prince would be instructed to inflict as much damage as possible, both physical and psychological. He would destroy the woman’s son as her punishment for forcing his hand and making this farce of a tournament necessary. She should have just handed over her technology when she had the chance.

Nappa watched as the prince made his way over to Turles and extended his hand, a respectful gesture, the prince most likely thanking and praising Turles for such an incredible battle. It was bittersweet to see how far the young prince had come through all his training. The princes were the pride of their people, so it was hard not to be proud of Prince Goku. Unfortunately, his accomplishment meant that he would possibly end up fighting one of Frieza’s more dangerous subordinates. The former general could only hope along with the rest of his people that Prince Goku did not draw one of those combatants during the second round.

He finally broke out of his thoughts to call the match and announce the next fight. “And the winner of this round goes to Prince Goku. There will be a short break before the next battle takes place. When we return, Dodoria and Prince Tri, enter the ring.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So this is as far as I've gotten with this story for now. It's taken me a few years to update. It's one of my more difficult projects along with the story, Visions. Don't worry, though, I still intend to finish them. It's just taking me a significantly long time to work out the fighting scenes. Once I'm done adding all my stories to AO3, I intend to get back to at least trying to push through. Whoever has followed since I started the story back in 2012, I really appreciate if you're still reading and waiting for the updates either from FFN or now here.
> 
> Now, 28 out of 95 stories are posted to AO3. Slow progress, but progress. At this rate, I may get back to regular writing in December. Thank you everyone on here who has already given kudos. I'm new to the system, but super glad you like the story, probably one of my darkest aside from my Blackmail series and Visions.


	31. Part II: Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters. Just OCs and my imagination.
> 
> So, you guys don't know how lucky you are. After publishing this story here, I made a push to finish the nearly finished chapter for this story. People from FFN have been waiting a loooooooong time for this. As I tell them, I can't promise quick updates with this one, but even I'm bothered that it's been almost two years since this story was updated there o_o
> 
> In any case, enjoy the chapter. I'm going to get back to getting more stories uploaded!

After the prince’s fight with Turles and the announced break, Bulma excused herself to go to the infirmary to check on the two girls that fought in the first round. She was completely upset and horrified over these fights, and the fact that her son had another opportunity to fight one of Frieza’s men was increasing her anxiety. Vegeta was adamant about her staying for images. _You must know how that will look,_ her mate had communicated to her.

Bulma knew, but she couldn’t worry about that. _I can’t stomach these fights,_ she admitted. _I’ll return later. I need to make sure Tomala and Sintia are okay, and honestly, I think I’m going to be sick._

So, they verbally did an exchange; Bulma requested permission to leave for a bit and Vegeta granted it with instructions to return shortly. The woman bowed her head submissively and hoped hers and Vegeta’s act would fool their enemy. Frieza’s eyes never left the queen as she walked away. He was amused.

The demon laughed with mirth once she left and began to tease Vegeta about the woman. “Weakling. I’m impressed, Vegeta. You’ve trained her well.” The king forced his energy not to rise; he could not allow Frieza to gather how enraged he was by such a demeaning remark towards his mate. “You must tell me how you managed such a feat.”

Vegeta ignored his taunts despite the want to defend Bulma. His attention shifted back to the center of the stadium as Nappa boomed, “Alright, everyone take your seats. I’m about to announce the third fight.” The king deflated internally. Nappa really had meant a _short_ break. Vegeta crossed his arms, ppeared indifferent, but he was truly apprehensive over this round. The two combatants walked into the ring. One of the competitors was one of Frieza’s top men, the pink giant. The Saiyan thought of Bulma; she was better off not seeing the fight. “On one side, we have the Swaron prince, Tri, and on the other, Dodoria.” The former general glanced between the two competitors. “Keep the fight clean.”

“Will do,” Tri chuckled. He removed his colorful vestments; plain, white clothing rested underneath. The prince stepped forward.

Prince Tri was the oldest son of King Pri of Planet Swar. The race allied with the Saiyans shortly after Vegeta defeated his father and took control of the planet. It turned out their world had once been an ally to the former king, bonded over the lust for a good battle. After the evil ruler accepted the dark energy within him, he cut ties with King Pri. The other warrior race had not heard from the Saiyans until the recent years. King Pri actually reached out to the current King Vegeta to mend the broken bond his father caused.

Vegeta did not have a problem with the Swarons. They were admirable warriors that had a bit of a flashy streak the Saiyan wasn’t fond of; however, they did respect the Saiyans and their culture. Despite the attempts to marry off his sons to a daughter who did not exist, Vegeta felt better about them than the Needellens. Every so often, King Pri would try to convince him, but really there was no ill will even when Vegeta said ‘no’.

Tri and Sri were not really Vegeta’s favorite people. They were overly eager to fight and bragged constantly in a way that was unbecoming. The two princes believed they were the strongest in the universe. They weren’t weaklings, but there were definitely many Saiyans who could give them hell; Vegeta knew he and Kakarot were far stronger. There was no reason for such bravado, especially in Vegeta’s presence, but both we eager to showcase their strength in hopes the Saiyan king would favor one of them for his future daughter.

Vegeta observed Tri. He was a tall, lean fighter with dark hair, more brown than black, and striking purple eyes. The Saiyan king had never seen him fight, so he hoped the arrogance the prince put on display held weight. He would hate to see what would happen if the Swaron didn’t. Dodoria…he was the other fighter he saw in Bulma’s dream. He was as sick and cruel as both Frieza and Zarbon. If Tri wasn’t careful, he could be seriously injured.

“And now,” Nappa announced over the loudspeaker, “are you both ready?” The two fighters nodded and began to walk around the ring to size up the other. Dodoria strode as if he owned the place while Prince Tri looked at the faces in the stadium and waved at the cheering public. Vegeta cringed. As much as the prince irritated him, he really hoped he’d fair well against one of Frieza’s top men. “Now, you two, we expect you to have a good, clean fight, understand?”

“Oh, of course,” Prince Tri declared eagerly. His attention remained on the public a moment longer before he met the amused yet malevolent gaze of his opponent.

“Crystal clear,” Dodoria boomed slowly. The manner in which he spoke left a sense of disquietude in the former general’s soul.

“Begin!”

The two fighters fell into their defensive stances. A second later, both competitors flashed out of view. They charged into one another, but managed to block each other’s assault. As quickly as they struck, they pulled bag to repeat the action. The two fighters collided but instead of pulling back they exchanged a flurry of punches and kicks.

Tri smirked at his opponent during their exchange. The Swaron always preferred hand to hand combat. It was his specialty, and much safer on his opponent than his other abilities. Usually, he’d overtake his opponent during a flurry and knock them out before fights would get out of hand, a quick, subtle, decisive blow that hid a fraction of his power. His opponent today, though, had no weaknesses in the hand to hand exchange; Tri wouldn’t be able to break his guard.

“Very well done,” he praised his opponent with a conceited lilt. “You must be a very skilled warrior to be evenly matched with me.”

Dodoria chuckled at that. “Kid, you have no idea what you’re dealing with. If I were you, I’d forfeit this fight.”

The two stopped the flurry and instead were locked in a stalemate of force as they caught each other’s fists. When neither would budge, they fell back. Tri crossed his arms and outright laughed at the pink giant’s comments. “You haven’t seen my true power, yet. Until then, I’m still in this. Your confidence is amazing, though, I’ll give you that.”

“True power, hm?” Dodoria questioned. “Kid, if you want to defeat me, you better give it all you’ve got.”

Tri’s smile disappeared as the gravity of what he was about to do overcame him. His power was not for the faint of heart, and he vowed only to use it when faced with danger. “Stranger, I hope you know what you asked for. I can’t guarantee your sanity will remain intact when I’m done.”

Dodoria seemed undeterred. In fact, his lips curled in a vicious grin and his eyes lit up in interest. “Do your worst, kid.”

Given the okay, Tri yelled out as he powered up, his eyes glowed white and ice shards formed around him. The crystals flew in a cyclone around Tri until he grew silent. When the yells ended, the ice remained suspended in the air. Then, all the ice fell and sounded like glass as it hit the ring. Tri was gone.

Dodoria was slightly stunned. He widened his stance and tried to get a sense as to where the prince hid. He was not outside the ring. He was no inside the ring. _Where is that cocky bastard?_

Minutes went by, and the whole stadium was in silent awe. All spectators were at the edge of their seat as they waited for something to happen. And something was indeed about to happen. Everyone sensed it. The tension and anxiety rose.

Frieza’s soldier angered. It seemed the Swaron was a coward as well as cocky. He was hiding from the fight, probably knew he couldn’t win. Still, something was off. Dodoria felt as if he were being hunted, but that made little sense. He was the one who faced ruthless and desperate warriors on a regular basis. He knew he was stronger than the prince, but the bastard was making a mockery out of him. Dodoria clenched his fists.

The instant he did, Prince Tri appeared behind him. Dodoria felt the rush of cold air, but had no time to react as he was hit by a ki attack. Tri’s eyes changed color to an icy blue, his hands pulled together as blue energy shot Dodoria’s way. “Blue Impluse!” the prince shouted.

Dodoria was hit, but after rolling halfway towards the ring boundary, he got to his feet. He was about to throw an orb of yellow energy, but his arms remained over his head with the sphere. Tri was gone from the ring again. Another void appeared behind Dodoria, but instead of the prince coming out of it, shards of ice poured out. Dodoria managed to defend himself with his ki which melted the ice.

Tri stepped out of the void, arms crossed as he faced Frieza’s soldier once again. “You’re doing much better than I expected,” Tri evaluated. “Usually my opponent is disoriented by now and end up encased in ice. My powers of sorcery are usually enough to drive anyone to the brink of insanity, which is the reason I don’t use it often. But you…you’re no ordinary fighter.”

Dodoria glared at the prince, but then released a disparaging snicker. “You’re an idiot. You should have stayed in your little vortex.” His voice was dark, sinister, and there was a hidden promise of pain to come.

“Why is that?”

Dodoria moved so quickly, his hand crushing Tri’s throat. The prince grasped his hand and attempted to pry Dodoria off. The pink menace only tightened his grip. A dry cough escaped Tri; the prince attempted to get air into his lungs. He looked into the cold, hateful eyes of his opponent.

“Because I hate arrogant bastards like you, and now you won’t be able to run from what I’ll do to you.”

Tri’s eyes reflected fear and confusion, but it was short-lived as Dodoria smashed him into the ring and cracked the concrete. The was another strangled sound. Dodoria smirked as the prince’s face began to turn blue. He continued to bash the royal around despite the cries of protest from the spectators and even from Nappa. Everyone was yelling to stop the fight.

In the stands, Vegeta watched this farce of a battle. His expression betrayed his shock and horror. The king didn’t notice Frieza’s eyes on him, didn’t steel himself. Frieza could see just how much Dodoria’s actions affected the Saiyan leader. His earlier suspicions were confirmed. King Vegeta was weak and did not want a war. He was in for rude awakening when this tournament was over.

Tri still couldn’t break Dodoria’s hold. Eventually, he resigned himself to his fate. He could only hope that the miscreant would tire of this brutal assault.

“Dodoria, I told you to stand down!” Nappa screamed at the top of his lungs. His voice finally cut through the vengeful haze, and the monster froze, his hands still closed around Tri’s neck. “If he dies, you will be disqualified, and you’re getting real fucking close.”

Instead of aggravating Dodoria, the words brought a sick grin to the pink alien’s face. He pulled Tri up to eye level; Tri was disturbed by the sadistic gleam he saw in his opponent. “You’re lucky. If not for that rule, I’d tear your innards out through that obnoxious mouth of yours and strangle you with that.”

Tri’s eyes widened before Dodoria threw him down to the floor with more force than necessary. The demon walked away as Nappa began some kind of countdown. The prince felt blood pouring out of him in multiple places and many of his bones were broken. He could hardly bring oxygen as he coughed vigorously. He couldn’t get back up as much as he wanted to; he was in no shape. All Tri could do was close his eyes and surrender.

“And ten!” Nappa declared. “Prince Tri has been defeated. Dodoria will move on to the next round.”

Tri nearly choked on a sob, both from the pain and from relief that it was over. The fight was brutal; Tri knew he was lucky and smart enough to stay down. He continued to struggle to catch his breath, the former Saiyan general standing between the two competitors, just in case. The Swaron prince looked up at the face of his opponent. He shuddered at the look of amusement Dodoria cast him. The soldier nearly killed him. Tri didn’t know how he was still in one piece. He mentally thanked Nappa for stepping in and doing a ten count. Tri didn’t think he could move.

But he had to.

Prince Tri had an image to keep. His normal flashy and arrogant demeanor could not be overshadowed by his fear. He refused to let that monster see the fear he felt deep in his soul. So, somehow, he found the strength within him and mustered up the energy to get to his feet. He could hear surprised gasps followed by applause. He forced a smile despite the agonizing aches all over his body. As his signature, he lifted his fist into the air before he weakly brought his arm to his side.

Nappa watched the prince, concerned; his heart hammered in his chest. He should have called the match sooner, but Dodoria ignored all his attempts. Tri hadn’t deserved such a brutal onslaught.

The Saiyan heard Dodoria snicker beside him, and his stomach curled with disgust. How could anyone take pleasure in this cowardly act?

Tri slowly made his way out of the ring, used every last bit of willpower. He nearly stumbled out. His vision becoming hazy which caused the prince to panic. Something was wrong.

His brother ran towards him. “Tri,” Sri murmured. “Are you all right? That guy brutalized you out there!”

That was an understatement, Tri mused. He walked towards his brother as coolly as possible in his broken body. He almost made it to him, too, before his legs gave out and he fell to the ground.

The Swaron king rose from his seat, horrified when he saw his eldest son drop. His youngest tried to help his brother as the prince’s body convulsed. The Saiyan, Nappa, ran to the prince and quickly called medical over. Angry eyes shifted to the pink monster who did this to his son. _That bastard!_

In his feelings of helplessness, the king looked to his ally. He had come to know Vegeta very well over the years, and he had been watching him during the tournament. The Saiyan king put forth this guise of indifference, but the Swaron knew better. Vegeta’s arms were crossed, hands grasped his muscles, and his eyes held a deep-seated rage. Vegeta’s eyes only darkened when the sickening, effeminate lord beside him cackled.

“Are you impressed, King Vegeta?” Frieza taunted. Vegeta’s jaw tightened as he looked towards Frieza. The villain was so smug, very happy to brag about his men. “This is what my troops have to offer, _all_ of them. Your warriors would do best to remember that.”

 _“My warriors,”_ Vegeta emphasized, “will not be beaten so easily. _You_ would do well to remember _that.”_

Vegeta’s eyes landed on the prince; he watched as the medical team put him on emergency life support. He resisted the urge to shake his head, to allow himself to visibly shake in his wrath. Frieza’s men were vicious. Vegeta knew that from what he heard from his wife. Still, he never expected such horrendous atrocities at one of his ally’s expense. He looked to the Swaron king and noticed the defeated look in the man’s eyes. Vegeta’s could only reveal a glint of an apology. The other king merely nodded, and Vegeta felt relief. His closest ally just figured out what he’d been hiding, and Vegeta knew, if it came down to it, the Swaron king would be willing to help.

* * *

Bulma hated morning sickness. It was the one symptom she could not stand from pregnancy. Hiding her condition made it even worse. She had been feeling ill all morning, but she couldn’t get away unnoticed. The end of her son’s battle and the break that was given was a blessing. It gave her the chance to race to hers and Vegeta’s room before she got sick in front of everyone.

After she cleaned herself up, she took it upon herself to go to the infirmary. The queen still could not get passed that first, horrendous fight. It was clear that Frieza’s young soldier was just an innocent child. Tomala had seen it and tried to end things before they got out of hand. Sintia was strong, though, and Tomala ended up suffering just as much. This all did not sit right with the queen. She needed to check on the girls.

Bardock was surprised to see Bulma when she entered the infirmary, but when her eyes landed on the girls he understood. “They both took a lot of damage,” the Saiyan informed her of their condition, “but they’ll both make full recoveries.”

Bulma breathed out a sigh of relief and stroked Tomala’s hair. The queen had a soft spot for the little girl who spent so much time training with her son. The children were close, and Bulma appreciated the child for bringing out that playful side in her son as she did her own mate. Tomala stirred, opening her eyes when she felt Bulma’s hand in her hair. Abruptly, she sat up, bowed to the woman, and greeted, “Your Majesty!”

“Now, now, none of that,” Bulma soothed her. “You fought well. It seems my son has taken a liking towards you.”

Little Tomala blushed. Then her eyes widened. “Who won the fight?” She noticed Bulma’s concern and wondered if the prince lost his bought.

“Goku did,” Bulma told her. She could see the excited glint in Tomala’s eyes, but the little girl then realized no one else seemed excited. She was about to ask when her former opponent groaned and up.

Sintia shot up with fright and looked around. “I-I’m sorry,” she immediately said. The child bowed her head low. “I…I never wanted to be a part of this. I’m so sorry.”

“Easy does it,” Bulma chided as she went to the little girl’s side. She felt the need to calm the crying child despite the fact that she was part of Frieza’s team. If anything, the queen was certain that she wasn’t necessarily with that demon by choice. “It’s all right.”

“No,” Sintia choked. “No, it’s not all right. Not many know what the tournament is about, but _we_ all do. I…just wanted to test my power, but Frieza…he wants _more_.” Sintia looked to Bulma with sad, terror-stricken eyes. “He wants _you_ , not just your technology. When I learned…I tried to get out of it…but…”

Tomala looked to the girl, horrified. She then looked to her queen and saw this distant look of dread. Bulma managed to swallow down her fear. She placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “I already know that,” she admitted. “I know this is just a formality.”

Sintia nodded. “It’s a cloak. I’m certain he’ll want war. I’m afraid he’ll kill me for my failure.”

“No,” Bulma replied with determination. “We will protect you.”

“Enough!”

Everyone jumped at the sound of the angry voice - save Bardock – of Sintia’s older brother, Brenten as he entered the room. Bardock immediately jumped in from of Bulma protectively, but Brenten waved his hands in assurance that he wasn’t there to harm anyone.

“There’s a brief break between the fights,” Brenten explained. “The last one ended badly. It was disturbingly brutal, and Prince Tri was weakened, although he managed to walk out of the ring.”

Bulma breathed a sigh of relief, but Breten wasn’t done. “Frieza is stronger than any of you realize. Do not make promises you can’t keep.” He looked to his sister with a hardened expression. Still, his eyes screamed of remorse. “I need to take you to Frieza now.”

Sintia grew nervous, stiff as a board, and Brenten remained glued to his spot, clearly reluctant to follow through. “What if Sintia wasn’t here when you got here?” Bardock spoke up. This earned the two siblings’ attention. “What if someone hid her in another room to recover to protect her from other parties competing who would wish to do her harm?”

Bulma understood where Bardock was going. “They are barred from searching the palace,” she pointed out. “We can make up a story where the injured of the tournament are treated in the infirmary and then kept in separate rooms as a precaution.”

Brenten looked between the two, baffled. “Why would you do that for us, knowing we work for Frieza?”

“My world was attacked by Frieza and his men,” Bulma admitted, and the two little girls were completely surprised, Tomala most of all. “They wanted our technology, and they killed everyone. It was so traumatic that I was unresponsive. They left me behind, and Vegeta found me and brought me here. I know what kind of people they are, and you do not strike me as that kind of man. Your sister will be safe here. We’ll make sure of it.”

“Thank you,” Brenten sincerely replied, “but you’re wrong. Though I may not enjoy hurting others, I have still destroyed countless worlds as Frieza has ours.”

“We were no different less than a decade ago,” Bardock spoke up. “We understand.”

Brenten actually smiled at that, a rarity for the warrior and the first in many years aside from the moments he was alone with his sister. “Okay,” he finally relented. He turned the the blue-haired queen and begged, “Please…please take care of her.”

Bulma nodded, and Bardock was about to ready the child for transport when chaos broke out.

A group pf Saiyans and members of Rescue Star raced Prince Tri into the med bay on emergency life support. Kakarot also came in behind them. He met both his father’s and Bulma’s horrified gazes. “It was one of Frieza’s men,” he explained. “He nearly killed the prince in the fight.”

Bulma felt her heart race and stomach drop, but she quickly buried that down and sprang into action. She looked to Brenten and said, “You need to move her quickly. Kakarot can help you.”

“I…” Brenten began to say when he noticed the Saiyan general’s wary and distrustful eyes. It was directed towards him, and Brenten couldn’t say he blamed the warrior.

“There’s no time to explain, son,” Bardock snapped as he rushed to attempt to stabilize Tri. “Just hide the child. Frieza can’t find her.”

Kakarot seemed to understand and nodded. “Alright, then,” he agreed. Carefully, he lifted the little girl in his arms. He looked to Brenten. “Let’s move.”

Tomala watched horror-stricken as Sintia was pulled into the general’s arms. Brenten kept his eyes on his sister as he and Kakarot left the infirmary. He needed to return to Frieza, tell him his sister had been moved and hidden. He decided to go in the opposite direction of Kakarot. He could truthfully tell Frieza he had no idea where his sister was that way.

The little Saiyan looked to her queen, fear reflected in her dark eyes. Bulma regarded the child with a glimmer of remorse. Never did she want the Tomala to witness something so horrid. A thought then occurred to Bulma. Tomala was her son’s closest friend. If this got back to him, he would truly know. She couldn’t let that happen.

“Tomala,” she stated firmly, though inside she shook with her own panic. “Whatever you heard today, you can’t tell Goku any of it.” The Saiyan child was completely shocked and found the demand appalling. “I know you’re close with him, but you have to understand. He can’t know. Goku may end up fighting one of these men, and I don’t want him fighting them full of anger. They’ll exploit it.”

Tomala knew the queen was right, but deep down inside she felt like it was a betrayal. Still, Goku had to already know something. He witnessed what must have been a terribly brutal fight. Maybe she didn’t need to say anything. Tomala swallowed down her nerves and guilt and nodded. Bulma appeared thankful. _Queen Bulma knows more about this than I do_ , Tomala realized. She just hoped that the king and queen knew best. They always had in the past.

* * *

After all the commotion, Nappa called the next fight. As much as everyone wanted to rush to find out if the Swaron prince was okay, images needed to be kept. The crowd was rowdy, and sending them off for an actual break would probably cause a riot. That’s why the former general made the tactical call to get everyone’s attention on the next fighters. It was a relief that it wouldn’t be a show of disgraceful and senseless violence as the last fight had been. No, this would be a friendlier match between one of the Saiyans and someone from Rescue Star. “The next match will start. Kane and Videl, please enter the ring.”

Videl came into view; she stood proudly as she faced her Saiyan opponent. She wasn’t worried. The raven-haired teenager had trained with Gohan over the years, and he was a skilled fighter. He taught her everything he knew, even how to use ki and fly. It was time to put those lessons to good use.

Gohan watched the battle ringside. He was thrilled to see Videl fight. Training with her was always an amazing experience that got his heart racing. He knew he had feelings for her. Though he hadn’t told her yet, the half-Saiyan really liked her. They were just friends, after all, the two focused on the tournament to protect their families. Deep inside, Gohan wanted more. Right now, though, he shook his mind free of those thoughts. All he could see her as now was the warrior and comrade she truly was. The rest would have to come when they were free of danger.

Gohan planned to cheer for Videl against Kane, one of the random soldiers from the army. He watched all of her movements, graceful as ever. She used her speed and the fact that she could fly to outmaneuver Kane. It was, by no means, an easy win, but Videl wasn’t a pushover. Gohan knew that firsthand since he trained with her often.

She clearly took his pointers to heart. Knowing of the possibility she’d face one of his people, Gohan made sure to give her an edge. Videl knew how to handle a Saiyan. The tail, however, was off limits. Gohan made her promise that way before her first lesson. It was one she kept, and Gohan was grateful for that.

The fight didn’t last long, and Videl was declared the winner. She left the ring and went straight for Gohan, pride in her eyes. “So, how’d I do?”

“I don’t know,” Gohan replied with a teasing tone. “It was too quick to make a true assessment. You could have made it last longer.”

Videl laughed, and Gohan smiled down at her. “Oh quiet, you know that’s the point. You were the one who told me his weak points.”

Gohan appeared indifferent. “I told you no such thing. I only mentioned that Kane _probably_ had an old back injury. You chose to investigate if it were true.”

“Oh stop! You’re terrible!”

Gohan shrugged before Nappa called the next match. “Next up is our own, Gohan, and he’ll face the Needellen prince, Zolid.”

Videl kissed Gohan’s cheek, and the half-Saiyan met her gaze and blushed. His hand rested on his cheek. “What was that for?”

“For luck,” Videl remarked. “Don’t lose to the pretty boy, kay? I want to see you in the next round.”

Gohan grinned before he walked away from her over to the ring. His opponent, Prince Zolid, stood there as if waiting for him. The Needellen met his gaze, disgust plastered all over his face. Gohan cocked his head in question. Normally, the Needellen was indifferent to the Saiyans, but since the royal’s arrival, the Saiyans had proven to be a disrespectful people to his culture. Zolid scoffed and told his opponent, “You’re a disgrace.”

Black eyes widened. “Pardon?”

Zolid ignored him and walked into the ring. Confused, Gohan followed suit.

Nappa looked between the two competitors and nodded to Gohan. “The round starts now. Begin!”

Gohan closed his eyes for a second, took a deep breath to center himself, and when he opened his eyes his eyes held a more serious and calculating glint. Zolid glared at the Saiyan in front of him, angered by the display he’d just witness. These Saiyans were uncouth, but Zolid never thought they’d go so far as to taint their women. Now, the prince could understand how Thia was tainted. This casual sense of touch was truly awful.

“I hope for a good fight like the last one,” the Saiyan stated.

Zolid dismissed this notion. “It’s appalling that a woman was allowed to fight, so the previous match is not one I wish to emulate.”

Gohan’s brown furrowed and his jaw stretched in disbelief. He’d never heard a more ridiculous remark or heard such anger over something so insignificant. “What? What are you talking about?”

The ignorant words enraged Zolid even more; his energy rose in response. Lips pulled back, and he bared his teeth at his unworthy opponent. “Women are not meant to be fighters. They have but one purpose, and that is to continue the family line. Allowing them to do anything but procreate goes against everything I was raised to believe. And to allow an unmarried woman to touch a man or be touched is disgraceful. You allowed that woman to taint herself and yet you’re completely okay with the fact that you just ruined her. You should be ashamed, Saiyan.”

Gohan’s energy flared, and now it was his turn to be affronted. “Is that really what you believe?” he asked, skeptical. There was no way any culture could still be so archaic. Was this why the Needellen princess was fighting in the tournament? His dad already told him that Thia was under Saiyan protection. Was her participation the reason she needed it? It must be if this drivel spoken by her brother was truly how they lived. And the insults to Videl… “Videl is a respected warrior and my intended mate,” Gohan declared. “We don’t live by the same laws as you do.”

“That’s why the Saiyans are inferior,” Zolid spoke simply, unperturbed by the way Gohan’s energy was fluctuating in his indignation.

Gohan could no longer take the slander against his race and the woman he care for. He attacked the Needellen angry. Zolid assumed he’d be able to counter the half-Saiyan, that his anger would cause him to make a mistake, but his theory proved incorrect when Gohan appeared in front of him and blasted him in the stomach. Zolid’s body was sent careening backwards. He fell against the edge of the ring. Before he could gathering his bearings, Gohan attacked him against and sent him flying out of the ring.

Zolid registered the dirt beneath him, gripped it with his hands. He looked up at the furious Saiyan, Gohan’s eyes full of hate and distaste. He stood tall over Zolid and glared down at the stunned prince. “Women are worth more than you realize. They are strong; they’re our partners; and I will _never_ let you degrade my intended again. Our bonds are what make us strong. That’s something you and your people will never understand. And you…you have less value than the woman who defeated a Saiyan.”

The Saiyan walked away; he turned his back towards the Needellen as the ultimate sign if disrespect. Zolid glowered at Gohan as the Saiyan walked to the center of the ring before the prince picked himself up off the ground and dusted himself off.

Nappa saw the exchange between Gohan and the Needellen prince, a small breath of relief expelled when Zolid just stood up and walked away to lick the wounds of his embarrassing defeat. The former general cleared his throat and looked to the updated roster. “And the winner of this match is Gohan,” he declared. “I’ll announce the next match now, but we’ll all be taking a short break for lunch in the palace. We’ll resume with the match between Princess Thia and Prada afterwards.”

Gohan wasn’t happy with his victory. Instead, his heart ached. He could not believe that they were allied with a people who saw women as some type of property. Gohan had been raised by strong-willed women. His mother and late grandmother were a testament to the resilience and both inner and outer strength. Even the queen who despite her weak power level had helped to bring this planet back from the brink of destruction. Fists were still clenched and muscles taught as Gohan forced himself to leave the ring; a part of him wanted to march right back over to Zolid and show him just how fierce he could be. But Gohan knew it wouldn’t solve anything. Men like that, with their chauvinistic mentality, would never understand equality.

Nappa turned off his microphone and walked out of the ring, his mind on the Needellens and their princess. The former general knew everything was a mess, and after the words he heard Gohan speak at the end of the fight, the old Saiyan knew that things were about to get ugly. He shook his head and walked out of the stadium. Between her people’s customs and Thia’s opponent, Nappa didn’t know what was worse.

_We can only hope that the princess doesn’t get wrecked by Frieza’s solider like Tri…_

But he knew. The tournament was starting to become a bloodbath. Their only hope was that a Saiyan would win. Still, Nappa wasn’t foolish to believe that, even then, Frieza would leave without a fight.


End file.
